Waves Flashcards
What is wavespeed?
The distance that 1 wave travels in 1 second
What is amplitude?
The maximum particle displacement of the medium’s vibrations from the undisturbed position. (ie the distance from the middle line to either the top of a peak, or the bottom of a trough)
What is time period?
Is the time taken for the wave source to produce 1 wave
What is wavelength?
The distance between a point on one wave and exactly the same point on an adjacent wave.
What are longitudinal waves?
Waves in which the direction of vibration is parallel to the direction of travel of the wave.
What are transverse waves?
Waves in which the direction of vibration is perpendicular to the direction of travel of the wave.
What is frequency?
The number of waves that pass a point in each second.
What are echoes?
When sound waves are reflected off a surface.
What units are used for frequency?
Hertz, Hz
How are frequency, wavelength and wavespeed linked?
wavespeed = frequency x wavelength
How are frequency and time period lined?
frequency = 1 / time period
What is diffraction?
Waves spreading out (into shadow) when they pass through a gap or past an edge.
What is the Law of Reflection?
Angle of incidence = angle of reflection
What is refraction?
When a wave changes direction because of a difference in optical density (refractive index) when crossing a boundary between two materials.
What is the relationship between the angle of incidence, the angle of refraction and the refractive index?
refractive index, n = sine i / sine r
