Waves and Light Flashcards
Name the two types of waves
Longitudinal and transverse
Soundwaves
Longitudinal, travel faster through solids
Longitudinal wave structure
Rarefactions and compressions, wavelength is measures from the middle of one compression to the middle of the next
Transverse wave
Amplitude is from the horizontal line to the top of the peak/crest, troughs are the peaks below the line, one complete cycle is from the start to above the line to under the line back to the line of equilibrium
wave speed equation
V (wavespeed, m/s)= f (Hz) x λ (wavelength, m)
Gamma rays
When a wave hits a boundary what 3 things could happen?
It is either reflected, refracted or absorbed
Specular reflection
Reflection from a smooth surface in a single direction
Diffuse reflection
Reflection from a rough surface causing scattering
Law of reflection
The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection
The normal
The normal line is at 90 degrees to a surface at the point that the light ray hits the surface
Energy and sound waves
Energy is transferred via soundwaves as particles vibrate and collide with their neighbours
Pitch
The pitch of a soundwave is affected by the frequency of the wave, a higher frequency means a higher pitch
Volume
The volume of a soundwave is affected by the amplitude of the wave, a larger amplitude means a louder volume
Frequency of ultrasound
Above 20,000Hz (upper limit of human hearing)
