Waves And Optics Flashcards
What is a wave?
Transfer of energy without the transfer of matter
What is a transverse wave?
A type of wave where energy moves perpendicular to the oscillations
What is amplitude?
The maximum displacement from equilibrium
What is wavelength?
The distance from one point on the wave to the next consecutive point that is in phase
What is the time period?
The time taken for one whole oscillation
What is frequency?
The number of oscillations per second
What is constructive interference?
When 2 or more waves have displacement in the same direction
What is destructive interference?
When one wave has positive displacement and the other has negative displacement (if they are equal total destructive interference occurs)
What is a node (waves)?
Region of no displacement
What is an antinode?
Region of maximum displacement
What is the fundamental frequency?
The lowest frequency of a stationary wave that can be supported by a system
How do you determine the resultant displacement after interference?
The vector sum of displacements?
What is a stationary wave?
A wave where energy is not transferred from one point to another, but oscillations still happen.
How far must two points be to support a stationary wave.
An integer number of half wave lengths
