describing waves Flashcards
what is a wave
waves are disturbances or vibrations that transfer energy and information from one place to another without matter being transferred
what is wavelength
the distance between the same points on two consecutive waves
what is amplitude
displacement from the rest position to a crest or trough
what is frequency
the number of of waves that pass a single point per second
1 Hz = 1 wave per second
what is a period
the time taken for a whole wave to completely pass a single point
period = 1/frequency
what is a wavefront
the plane in which the wave travels
what is the equation for wave speed
velocity = frequency x wavelength
what is a change in speed caused by
change in wavelength
as speed increases, wavelength increases, what happens to frequency
stays the same
what are transverse waves
vibrations are perpendicular to the direction of wave travel/energy transfer
what do transverse waves have
peaks and troughs
what are examples of transverse waves
light, EM waves, seismic S waves, water waves
what are longitudinal waves
particles vibrate parallel to the direction of energy transfer
what do longitudinal waves have
compressions and rarefactions
what are examples of longitudinal waves
sound waves, seismic P waves
