Waves basics Flashcards
What do waves do?
Transfer energy from one place to another without transferring any matter
What is matter?
Stuff
What 3 things do waves have?
Amplitude
Wavelength
Frequency
What is the amplitude?
The area between the rest position and the peak
What is the wavelength?
The length of a full cycle
Peak to peak
What is frequency?
Number of complete waves passing a certain point per second
What is frequency measures in?
Hertz (Hz)
What vibrations do transverse waves have?
Sideways
What waves are transverse?
Light and all other EM waves
Ripples on water
Waves on strings
A slinky spring wiggled up and down
What are the vibrations in transverse waves?
Perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer
Side to side
What vibrations do longitudinal waves have?
Along the same line
What are examples of longitudinal waves?
Sound waves
Ultrasound
Shock waves
Slinky spring when pushed at one end
What are the vibrations in longitudinal waves?
Parallel to the direction of energy transfer
Compressions
