5. let's go to beach-each, let's go get a wave [NTF] Flashcards
waves & particles (219 cards)
What is a longitudinal wave?
a type pf wave in which the particles oscillate parallel to the direction of the wave
What is the wavelength of a wave?
the distance between two matching points in neighbouring waves, measured in metres (m)
What is the amplitude of a wave?
the maximum displacement a point moves from its centre of oscillation, measure in metres (m)
What does it mean when a wave has a greater amplitude?
Greater energy
What is time period?
the time taken for a point on a wave to move through one complete oscillation, measures in seconds (s)
What is frequency?
the number of oscillations per second, measured in Hertz (Hz)
OR
the number of waves that pass a point in one second, measured in Hertz (Hz)
describe electronmagnetic waves
transverse waves made up of electric and magnetic fields oscillating perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer. All of the waves travel the same speed in a vacuum.
What does a higher frequency mean?
more energy
What is the order of the electronmagnetic spectrum?
radio, micro, IR, visible, UV, x-ray, Gamma
what is the wavelength of a radio wave?
10^3 - 10^1 m
what is the wavelength of a microwave?
10^-2 m
what is the wavelength of a Infra-red wave?
10^-5 m
what is the wavelength of a visible light wave?
10^-7 m
what is the wavelength of a ultra violet wave?
10^-8 m
what is the wavelength of a x-ray wave?
10^-10 m
what is the wavelength of a gamma ray?
10^-12 m (+)
diffraction
is the spreading out of a wave as it goes past an obstacle or through a gap
What is Huygens principal?
a model where each point on a wave front may be regarded as a source of wavelets expanding from that point.
it allowed a visualisation of how light could penetrate into geometric shadow in a way that particles could not
What is a diffraction grating?
a plate on which there is a very large number of parallel, identical, close-spaced slits that splits and diffracts light into several beams travelling in different directions.
When does constructive interfence occur?
Occurs when waves are in phase or a path difference of nλ, where a trough and trough meet or a peak and a peak meet. the waves have the same frequency and wavelength but double the amplitude.
When does destructive interference occur?
Occurs when waves are in antiphase or a path difference of (n + 1/2)λ, where a trough of one wave meets a peak of another wave the waves must have the phase difference of 180 degrees. the waves cancel each other out.
degrees to radians conversion
radians = (degrees * pi)/180
radians to degrees conversion
degrees = (radians *180) / pi
For two waves of light to be coherent the waves must
originate from one source