4.2 Measuring waves

Question 1

What is the displacement of a vibrating particle?

Answer 1

» It is the distance and direction from its equilibrium position

Question 2

What is the amplitude of a wave?

Answer 2

» Maximum displacement of a vibrating particle from its equilibrium position

Question 3

What is the wavelength of a wave?

Answer 3

» Difference in length between adjacent peaks or troughs of a wave

Question 4

What is the time period of a wave?

Answer 4

» The time for one complete wave to pass a fixed point

Question 5

What is the frequency of a wave?

Answer 5

» Number of cycle of osccillations through a point per second

Question 6

What is the equation for frequency?

Answer 6

» Frequency = 1/t

Question 7

What is the unit of frequency?

Answer 7

» Hz

Question 8

What is the effect of a higher frequency of a wave?

Answer 8

» The shorter it’s wavelength

Question 9

What is the rest position?

Answer 9

» It is the equilibrium position
» It is the horizontal line

Question 10

What is the equation for wave speed?

Answer 10

» Wave speed = frequency x wavelength

Question 11

What is the phase of a vibrating particle?

Answer 11

» It is the fraction of a cycle it has completed since the start of the cycle

Question 12

What is the definition of the phase difference?

Answer 12

» Phase difference between 2 particles vibrating at the same frequency is the fraction of a cycle between the vibrations of the 2 particles

Question 13

What is 1 cycle in radians?

Answer 13

» 2 pie radians

Question 14

What is the equation for phase difference?

Answer 14

» (2 x Pie x Distance between 2 points)/ wavelength
» 2Pie is the the entire wave
» Distance between 2 points/wavelength gives you the ratio