Waves Vocab

Question 0

Longitudinal

Answer 0

A type of wave where particles move from side to side parallel to direction of travel eg. sound

Question 1

Vibration

Answer 1

Rapid linear motion about the equilibrium (to and fro)

Question 2

Mechanical

Answer 2

A type of wave which carries energy and travels through a secondary object produced by disturbance of energy and going to and fro to the medium

Question 3

Transverse

Answer 3

A type of wave which moves up and down perpendicular to direction of travel eg. water

Question 4

Electromagnetic

Answer 4

A type of wave which is radiated and is caused by the acceleration of an electric charge

Question 5

Velocity

Answer 5

The speed of something in a given direction

Question 6

Wavelength

Answer 6

The distance between either the adjacent crests or the troughs of a transverse wave
‘λ’

Question 7

Frequency

Answer 7

The number of waves per second - symbol ‘f’

Question 8

Reflection

Answer 8

When a wave bounces back off an object

Question 9

Refraction

Answer 9

Where a wave enters a more or less dense medium to the one it is in

Question 10

Image

Answer 10

An optically formed duplicate or counterpart of an object often caused by a mirror or a lense

Question 11

Diffraction

Answer 11

The circular bending of waves when they pass through a small gap

Question 12

Spectrum

Answer 12

A band of (rainbow) colours produced by separation of the components of light by the different degrees of refraction according to the wavelength

Question 13

Speed

Answer 13

The rate something is moving at

V=fλ

Question 14

Ripple tank

Answer 14

An apparatus used to demonstrate the wave motion in water and a waves properties (eg. diffraction, interference)

Question 15

Amplitude

Answer 15

The maximum displacement from the mean position of a transverse wave (loudness) - symbol ‘a’
Height of wave from centre

Question 16

Hertz

Answer 16

The unit of frequency - 1Hz = 1wave/s

Question 17

Compression

Answer 17

A place in a longitudinal wave where the density is at it’s maximum

Question 18

Rarefaction

Answer 18

A place in a longitudinal wave where the density is at it’s minimum (where it’s most spread out)

Question 19

Wavefront

Answer 19

A surface containing points affected in the same way by a wave at a given time

Question 20

Period

Answer 20

(T) in seconds, time taken for each complete cycle of the wave motion

Question 21

Oscillation

Answer 21

Moves backwards and forwards about it’s equilibrium position

Question 22

Refractive index

Answer 22

How optically dense something is
n=sin i (bigger)/sin r
n=Vv/Vm

Question 23

Waves

Answer 23

Transfer energy from one place to another (doesn’t transfer matter); every point of wave vibrates/oscillates backwards and forwards about it’s average (mean) position

Question 24

Monochromatic

Answer 24

A wave containing a single wavelength (colour)

Question 25

Superposition

Answer 25

Adding of waves