Waves Peterson Test Flashcards
What is a wave?
A repeating disturbance or vibration that transfers or moves energy from place to place created by a type of force.
How do we see rainbows in the sky?
Refraction from raindrops in the sky; top of a raindrop creates a prism to bend light into different wavelengths.
What is a wavelength?
distance between 2 points in a wave
How can the length of a wave change?
If the frequency changes
What is amplitude?
Distance from resting point to top of crest
What is frequency?
Measure of how many waves pass a point in a certain amount of time.
Example of high and low amplitude
High amplitude: a shout
Low amplitude: a whisper
Example of high and low frequency
high: squeaking
low: deep voice
If frequency changes, does that mean amplitude also changes?
If energy being put in changes, then yes. However, in a simulation, one can change independent variables.
What is a medium?
a material through which waves can travel (solid, liquid, gas)
Mechanical waves
requires a medium to transmit energy
~can be shaped as transverse waves or compressional waves
1. Longitudinal waves
~sound waves
2. transverse waves
~ water, waves, seismic waves
electromagnetic waves
~don’t require medium and can travel through empty space
~all shaped like transverse wave
1. light
2. microwaves
3. infrared
4. x-rays
5. ultraviolet rays
6. radio waves
What is unique about wavelengths between 400nm-665nm?
They’re a part of the visible light spectrum.
Things that can see beyond visible light
bird and bees
what is the speed of light?
186,000 miles/ second
Can the speed of light change?
through a vacuum no, however, refraction and some mediums will change the speed
(sound travels slower in the air than in water)
the rformula for calculating wavelength
λ = v/f
what type of wave behavior was the string telephone experiment?
transmission + diffraction
Reflection
bouncing back of a wave when it meets a surface that doesn’t absorb all energy
ex. mirror
Refraction
bending of waves caused by a change in speed as they pass a medium
ex. spoon in water
Diffraction
spreading of waves as they pass through or around an obstacle.
How do we see black
black is the absorption of all wavelengths of color
how do we see white
it is the reflection of wavelength of color
How do we see a blue chair?
The chair is absorbing all wavelengths of colors except the blue wavelength is reflected back
