final exam

Question 1

pressure

Answer 1

force/area or densitygheight of a fluid

Question 2

gauge pressure

Answer 2

total pressure minus atmospheric pressure

Question 3

simple harmonic oscillator

Answer 3

undergoes simple harmonic motion due to a restoring force, F=-kx

Question 4

amplitude

Answer 4

maximum displacement from equilibrium

Question 5

cycle

Answer 5

one motion going out and returning to the starting position

Question 6

period (T)

Answer 6

time required to complete one cycle

Question 7

frequency

Answer 7

cycles per second in units hertz
f=1/T

Question 8

period of oscillation for a mass on a spring

Answer 8

T=2pi square root of m/k

Question 9

sinusoidal equation for oscillation

Answer 9

x(t)=Acos(2pift)

Question 10

period of oscillation for a pendulum

Answer 10

T=2pi square root of l/g

Question 11

energy of a simple harmonic oscillator

Answer 11

E=1/2mv^2+1/2kx^2=1/2kA^2

Question 12

transverse waves

Answer 12

the oscillations are perpendicular to the direction a wave travels

Question 13

longitudinal waves

Answer 13

the oscillations are parallel to the line of travel

Question 14

wavelength

Answer 14

the distance between two successive crests ( λ)

Question 15

speed of a wave

Answer 15

v= λf

Question 16

intensity of a wave

Answer 16

energy per unit time carried across an area

Question 17

the principle of superposition

Answer 17

when two waves pass through the same region of space they interfere and the resulting displacement is the sum of their individual displacements

Question 18

constructive interference

Answer 18

the two waves are acting in phase and the resulting displacement is larger than the individuals

Question 19

destructive interference

Answer 19

the two waves are in opposite phase and the resulting displacement is less than the individuals

Question 20

standing waves

Answer 20

occur at certain frequencies when the ends of a wave are fixed at nodes

Question 21

node

Answer 21

point of destructive interference where no oscillation can occur

Question 22

antinode

Answer 22

points of constructive interference, maximum amplitude occurs

Question 23

formulas for wavelengths of standing waves in terms of the length of a stretched string

Answer 23

L= λ/2 n=1
L= λ n=2
L= λn/2 n>2