General Wave Properties Flashcards
(14 cards)
What is defined by a period?
Period is defined as the horizontal distance required for one point on the graph to complete a full cycle.
What is the formula to calculate the frequency of a cycle?
the formula is f = 1/T
What is defined by frequency?
It refers to the number of cycles completed by the wave per unit time.
What are some characteristics which are common to all waves?
- A wave is a travelling disturbance, transmitting energy from one place to another.
- A wave transfers energy without the transfer of matter.
Category: Wavefronts and Rays
What is a wavefront and what is its relationship with rays?
Wavefront refers to the imaginary line that is the crest of a wave.
A ray is perpendicular to the wavefront and points in the direction of wave motion.
Category: Wavefronts and Rays
How does one calculate the wavelength from a wavefront?
The wavelength refers to the distance between two adjacent wavefronts.
What is the formula between wave speed, frequency and wavelength?
wave speed = frequency x wavelength
What is the relationship between pitch and wavelength?
The higher the pitch, the shorter its wavelength
How is the energy carried in the wave related to the amplitude of the graph?
The energy or intensity of a wave is proportional to the square of its amplitude.
How is the speed of a wave affected? Is the wave speed affected by its frequency?
No, it is not affected by the frequency of the wave.
The wave speed is only affected by the properties of the medium which it travels through.
Category: Displacement-Distance Graph
What can be figured out from the displacement-distance graph?
The wavelength can be derived. It is the distance between the two crests or the two troughs of the wave.
The amplitude of the wave may also be derived.
Category: Displacement-Time Graph
What can be deduced from displace-ment-time graph?
The velocity, but not wavelength.
What are transverse waves?
Transverse waves are those whose molecules oscillate perpendicularly to the direction of propagation of the wave.
What are longitudinal waves?
Longitudinal waves are those where molecules oscillate parallel to the direction of propagation of the wave.
