Waves - Properties of Waves Flashcards
what is a transverse wave?
a wave that vibrates or oscillates at right angles (perpendicular) to the direction in which energy is transferred(e.g. light)
what is a longitudinal wave?
a wave that vibrates or oscillates parallel to the direction in which energy is transferred(e.g. sound)
what is a wavefront?
a wavefront is where all the vibrations of multiple waves are in phase and the same distance from the source
what is amplitude?
maximum displacement of particles from their equilibrium position
what is wavelength?
distance between a particular point on one cycle of the wave and the same point on the next cycle
what is frequency?
number of waves passing a particular point per second, measured in Hertz (Hz)
what is time period?
time it takes for one complete wave to pass a particular point
what do waves transfer?
waves transfer energy and information without transferring matter
what is the relationship between the speed, frequency and wavelength of a wave?
wave speed (m/s) = frequency (Hz) x wavelength (m)
what is the relationship between frequency and time period?
Frequency (Hz) = 1/ time period (s)
what is the doppler effect?
- ahead of the object wavefronts are compressed as the object is moving in the same direction as the wavefronts, creating a shorter wavelength and a higher frequency
- behind the object wavefronts are more spread out as the object is moving away from the previous wavefronts, creating a longer wavelength and a lower frequency
what can all waves be?
reflected and refracted
