P11 Wave Properties Flashcards
(16 cards)
What are mechanical waves?
Vibrations that travel through a medium (substance)
What are electromagnetic waves?
Waves which can travel through a vacuum (at speed of 300,000 km/s). No medium is needed.
List examples of mechanical waves
Sound waves
Water waves
Waves on springs and ropes
Seismic waves produced by earthquakes
List examples of electromagnetic waves
Light waves
Radio waves
Microwaves
Define transverse wave
A wave with oscillations that are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer
Define longitudinal wave
A wave with oscillations that are parallel to the direction of energy transfer
Are electromagnetic waves transverse or longitudinal?
Transverse
Are mechanical waves transverse or longitudinal?
They can be either
What is the amplitude of a wave?
The maximum displacement of a point on the wave from its undisturbed position
What can the amplitude of a wave tell us?
The bigger the amplitude, the more energy the waves carry
Define wavelength
The distance from a point on the wave to the equivalent point on the adjacent wave
Define frequency
The number of waves passing a fixed point every second
What is the period of a wave?
The time taken for each wave to pass a fixed point
How do you calculate the period of a wave?
period, T (seconds) = 1/frequency, f (hertz)
Define wave speed
The distance travelled by each wave every second through a medium
How do you calculate wave speed?
wave speed, v (m/s) = frequency, f (hertz) x wavelength (metres)
