Water waves

Question 1

What are water waves?

Answer 1

Transverse

Question 2

What are undulations and to what direction do they go?

Answer 2

Undulations - up and down movements.
At RIGHT ANGLES they go to the direction that the wave is travelling and the direction of energy transfer

Question 3

What happens when a water wave hits the surface and what does this cause?

Answer 3

It’ll be reflected and the direction of the wave changes

Question 4

What waves can be reflected

Answer 4

All waves

Question 5

Draw the diagram for transverse waves and label it.
Give the meaning as well

Answer 5

Crest - Highest point of the wave
Trough - lowest point of the wave
Displacement - How far a point of a wave is from the middle line
Amplitude - Distance from the middle of a wave to the crest or trough (maximum displacement)

Question 6

What is superposition?

Answer 6

When 2 waves meet and their displacement meets briefly and then carry on as they were

Question 7

What happens when two identical crests meet?
Draw the ‘after’ diagram

Answer 7

the height of each wave is added up so crest height doubles
(S) crest + (S) crest = Double

Question 8

What happens when two identical troughs meet?
Draw the ‘after’ diagram

Answer 8

The depth of each wave is added up and so trough depth doubles.
(S) trough + (S) trough = Double

Question 9

If a crest and a trough meet what happens?
Draw the ‘after’ diagram

Answer 9

You subtract trough depth and the crest height so crest or trough cancel out leaving flat water surface
Trough depth - crest height = Cancel out