waves Flashcards
wave:
transfer energy from one place to another
transverse wave:
oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer
transverse wave example:
water wave
transverse wave demonstrated by..
moving spring up and down (vertically)
longitudinal wave:
oscillations are parallel to the direction of energy transfer
longitudinal wave example:
sound wave
longitudinal wave demonstrated by
moving a slinky back and forward horizontally
frequency
wave
number of waves passing through a fixed point in seconds
Hertz
amplitude
wave
the maximum displacement that any particle achieved from its undisturbed position
(metres)
wavelength
wave
distance from one peak of the wave to the equivalent point on the next wave
(metres)
period
wave
time taken for one complete oscillation
seconds
PERIOD=
1
——————-
FREQUENCY
amplitude indicates
amount of energy wave is carrying
speed of wave=
the speed at which the energy is transferred
WAVE SPEED =
FREQUENCY x WAVE LENGTH
wave speed is a measure
of how far the wave moves in 1 second
electromagnetic waves are
transverse waves
when a wave passes from 1 medium to another it can be
refracted + change direction
direction of refraction depends on:
- angle at which the wave hits the boundary
- materials involved
material with low to high refractive index
bends towards normal
material with high to low refractive index
bends away from the normal
refraction is due
to the difference in wave speed
ray diagrams are used to
show when waves reach a boundary between 1 medium and another, they can be refracted
ray diagrams represent
how light moves from 1 place to another
