waves

Question 1

What are waves?

Answer 1

waves transfer energy and information but they do not transfer matter. energy is transferred via oscillations that the wave is travelling through

Question 2

What are longitudinal waves?

Answer 2

Oscillations occur parallel to direction of movement. surface pushes air molecules away. e.g. SOUND WAVES

Question 3

What are transverse waves?

Answer 3

oscillations occur up and down at a 90° angle in directon of travel. they don’t move position they move up and down. e.g. LIGHT WAVES, ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

Question 4

what is frequency?

Answer 4

the number of waves produced at a certain point per second. measured in Hz. 1Hz is 1 wave per second.

Question 5

What is time period?

Answer 5

time needed for the production of a complete wave. measured in seconds

Question 6

what is the relationship between f and T?

Answer 6

f = 1/T

T= 1/f

Question 7

What are seismic waves?

Answer 7

the types of waves that occur during an earthquake.

Question 8

what are the 2 types of seismic waves?

Answer 8

P (primary or push waves) - Longitudinal

S (secondary or shake waves) - transverse

Question 9

Describe P Waves

Answer 9

travel through solids liquids and gases as they are LONGITUDINAL waves and they use all of their energy by travelling through these.

Question 10

describe s waves

Answer 10

travel through solids only because they are TRANSVERSE waves

Question 11

What is the wavefront?

Answer 11

the observed or imagined lines drawn on both longitudinal waves and transverse waves diagrams in order to present where the wavelength will be measured.

Question 12

What is the sign for wavelength and what do we measure it in?

Answer 12

λ and metres

Question 13

what is the sign for amplitude and what do we measure it in?

Answer 13

A and metres.

Question 14

how do we work out the wavespeed?

Answer 14

speed = distance/time

wavespeed (v/s) = wavelength (λ)/time period(T)

wavespeed = frequency/wavelength

Question 15

what is refraction?

Answer 15

waves change direction when it hits a different medium. this is because the wave travels at different speeds through different media.

Question 16

what is the law of refraction?

Answer 16

incident angle = refracted angle

Question 17

what is reflection?

Answer 17

wave moves beck into the medium that it came from

Question 18

what is the law of reflection?

Answer 18

angle of incidence = angle of reflection

Question 19

what is diffraction?

Answer 19

the wave bends a little as it passes through an opening. THE SMALLER THE GAP, THE MORE THE WAVE SPREADS OUT AND BENDS. the maximum bending occurs when the gap size is the same as the wavelength

Question 20

describe the dispersion of light

Answer 20

the white light is made up of 7 different colours:
red
orange
yellow
green
blue
indigo
violet

Question 21

why does the white light split into colours?

Answer 21

because each colour travels at different speeds and the angles of refraction are all different

Question 22

why is red at the top?

Answer 22

because red has the longest wavelength and smallest refraction. it has the most reflection