Waves Flashcards
Longitudinal
A wave where the oscillations are parallel to the direction of energy transfer
Amplitude
The maximum displacement of a wave from the rest position
Measured in metres
Period
The time taken for one complete pattern of oscillation
Measured in seconds
Phase Difference
The difference by which one wave lags behind another.
In phase waves are in step
Waves completely out of phase one wave is half a wavelength in front of the other
Measured in radians
Frequency
The number of oscillations per unit time
Measured in hertz
Diffraction
The spreading out of waves as they pass through an obstacle or gap
Reflection
When waves rebound from a barrier changing direction but remaining in the same medium
Refraction
When waves change direction when they travel from one medium to another due to a difference in wave speed in each medium
Superposition
When 2 waves supervise the resultant wave will be found by adding the displacements of each individual wave
Interference
The adding of two or more waves that results in a new wave pattern
Coherence
Two waves with a constant phase relationship
Antinode
A point of maximin amplitude along a station as wave caused by constructive interference
Stationary wave
A wave formed by the interference of 2 waves travelling in opposite directions
Node
A point that always has 0 amplitude along a stationary wave caused by destructive interference
Fundamental frequency
The lowest frequency in a harmonic series where a stationary wave forms
