General Properties Of Waves

Question 1

Wave

Answer 1

A regular disturbance transferring energy in the direction of the wave’s propagation without transferring matter

Question 2

Transverse wave

Answer 2

A wave in which oscillations are at right angles (perpendicular) to the direction of the motion

Question 3

Transverse wave examples (5)

Answer 3

• waves on a string
• all electromagnetic waves e.g visible light, electromagnetic radiation
• ripples in water
• vibrations on guitar strings
  -seismic S-waves (secondary)

Question 4

Longitudinal wave

Answer 4

A wave where the oscillations are parallel to (in the same direction as) the direction of motion

Question 5

Longitudinal waves examples (3)

Answer 5

• Pulses along a string
• sound waves
• ultrasound
  -seismic P-waves (primary)

Question 6

Transverse waveforms have (2)

Answer 6

• Peaks
• troughs

Question 7

Longitudinal wavesforms have (2)

Answer 7

• compressions
• rarefactions

Question 8

Wavelength

Answer 8

The shortest distance between the same point on two consecutive waves

Question 9

Displacement

Answer 9

• the distance from equilibrium position
• at maximum distance (peaks or troughs), this is the amplitude (the maximum displacement of the wave)

Question 10

Frequency

Answer 10

The number of complete waves passing through a given point per second, or the number of waves per second produced by the source

Question 11

Speed of wave equation

Answer 11

V = f x λ

• v = velocity (m/s)
• λ = wavelength (m)
• f = frequency (Hz)

Question 13

Refraction

Answer 13

Refraction is the change in speed of a wave when crossing a boundary between two media, resulting in a change in direction

Question 14

What property of a wave is not changed by refraction

Answer 14

Frequency

Question 15

What happens when waves are incident on a flat surface

Answer 15

Reflection

Question 16

When is a stronger reflected wave produced

Answer 16

When the surface is smoother

Question 17

Why do rough surfaces appear matt when illuminated

Answer 17

The reflected rays light are scattered in all directions

Question 18

Less dense to more dense (2)

Answer 18

• light waves slow down
• bend towards the normal

Question 19

More dense to less dense (2)

Answer 19

• speed up
• bend away from the normal

Question 20

Diffraction

Answer 20

The spreading out of waves passing through a narrow gap or across an edge

Question 21

What gap size produces the largest diffraction

Answer 21

A gap of the same width as the wavelength of the wave passing through