Waves and wave properties Flashcards
What are the two types of waves?
transverse and longiudinal
what do all waves do?
transfer energy from one place to another
what do the particles that make up any type of wave do?
oscillate (vibrate) about a fixed point
why do particles oscillate in a wave?
to pass energy on to the next particles,which oscillate,and this repeats
when energy moves on in a wave what is it that remains?
the matter
What way do wavers oscillate in transverse waves?
perpendicular
what is an example of a transverse wave?
a water wave
What is an example of a longitudinal wave?
a sound wave
in what direction do waves travel if they are longitudinal?
parallel to the direction of energy transfer
what is frequency in a wave?
frequency-the number of waves passing a fixed point per second,measured in hertz (Hz)
what are the properties of amplitude in a wave?
the maximum displacement that any particle achieves from its undisturbed position in metres
what are wavelengths in waves
the distance from one point on a wave to the equivalent point on the next wave in metres
what is a period in waves?
the time taken for one complete oscillation in seconds (s)
what does the speed of a wave correspond to
the speed at which energy is transferred
how can you measure how far the wave moves in one second?
the wave equation
