p11 Wave properties

Question 1

What are the two types of waves?

Answer 1

1. Transverse
2. Longitudinal

Question 2

What is a transverse wave?

Answer 2

A wave for which the oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer

Question 3

What is an example of a transverse wave?

Answer 3

Ripples on a water surface

Question 4

What is a longitudinal wave?

Answer 4

A wave for which the oscillations are parallel to the direction of energy transfer

Question 5

What do longitudinal waves show?

Answer 5

Areas of compression and rarefaction

Question 6

What are sound waves travelling through air?

Answer 6

Longitudinal

Question 7

What travels when ripples on a water surface and sound waves in air?

Answer 7

• The wave
• It is not the water or air itself that travels

Question 8

Give two examples of transverse waves

Answer 8

1. Electromagnetic waves
2. Seismic s-waves

Question 9

Give two examples of longitudinal waves

Answer 9

1. Sound waves
2. Seismic p-waves

Question 10

What are the two parts of a longitudinal wave called?

Answer 10

Compressions and rarefactions

Question 11

What is wave’s amplitude?

Answer 11

The maximum displacement of a point on a wave from its undisturbed position

Question 12

The bigger the amplitude of the waves?

Answer 12

The more energy waves carry

Question 13

What is wavelength?

Answer 13

• The distance from a point on a wave to the same position on the adjacent wave
• Most commonly peak to peak or trough to trough

Question 14

What is the frequency of a wave?

Answer 14

The number of waves that pass a given point each second

Question 15

What is the unit used for frequency?

Answer 15

Hertz, Hz

Question 16

What is the period of a wave?

Answer 16

The time taken for each wave to pass a fixed point

Question 17

What is the equation for period?

Answer 17

• period = 1/frequency
• T = 1/f

Question 18

What are the units of period?

Answer 18

period, T, in seconds, s

Question 19

What is meant by a frequency of 200Hz?

Answer 19

200 waves pass a given point per second

Question 20

What is wave speed?

Answer 20

The speed at which the wave moves or at which energy is transferred through a medium

Question 21

What is the equation for wave speed?

Answer 21

• wave speed = frequency x wavelength
• v = f λ

Question 22

What is the units of wave speed?

Answer 22

v in m/s

Question 23

What are the units of wavelength?

Answer 23

λ in metres, m

Question 24

What does a wave transfer?

Answer 24

Energy

Question 25

What word is used to describe when a wave bounces off a surface?

Answer 25

Reflection

Question 26

How do sound waves travel through a solid?

Answer 26

The particles in the solid vibrate and transfer kinetic energy through the material

Question 27

What is the frequency range of human hearing?

Answer 27

200Hz - 20kHz
(1kHz = 1000Hz)

Question 28

What are ultrasound waves?

Answer 28

Waves which have a frequency higher than the upper limit of human hearing (20kHz)

Question 29

Give an example use for ultrasound waves?

Answer 29

Medical or industrial imaging

Question 30

What natural event causes seismic waves to be produced? What waves are produced?

Answer 30

• Earthquakes
• They produce both P-waves and S-waves

Question 31

State a difference between the mediums that P-waves and S-waves can travel through

Answer 31

• P-waves travel through both solids and liquids
• S-waves only travel through solids (not liquids)

Question 32

What technique is used to detect objects in deep water and measure water depth?

Answer 32

• Echo sounding
• High frequency sound waves are emitted, reflected and detected
• Time difference between emission and detection, alongside wave speed, are used to calculate distances