P12 - Wave Properties

Question 1

What are the types of waves?

Answer 1

Transverse and longitudinal

Question 2

What type of wave are ripples on a water surface?

Answer 2

Transverse

Question 3

What type of wave are sound waves?

Answer 3

Longitudinal

Question 4

What is the difference between longitudinal and transverse waves?

Answer 4

Longitudinal - waves move parallel to the direction of the wave
Transverse - waves move perpendicular to the direction of the wave

Question 5

What is evidence for wave movement for ripples on a water surface?(3)

Answer 5

• The water particles move up and down,
• perpendicular to the direction of wave
• spreading pattern of the ripples is circular

Question 6

What is evidence for wave movement for sound waves in air?(2)

Answer 6

• Regions of higher pressure(compression) and lower pressure(refraction) which travel through the air alternating
• we hear sound - wave travels through air

Question 7

What is amplitude?

Answer 7

The maximum displacement of a point on a wave away from its disturbed position

Question 8

What is wavelength?

Answer 8

Distance from a point on one wave to the equivalent point on the adjacent wave

Question 9

What is frequency?

Answer 9

Number of waves passing a point each second

Question 10

What is the unit for period?

Answer 10

Seconds, s

Question 11

What is the unit for frequency?

Answer 11

Hertz, Hz

Question 12

What is the equation for a period?

Answer 12

Period=1/frequency

Question 13

What is wave speed?

Answer 13

Speed at which energy is transferred through the medium

Question 14

What is the equation for wave speed?

Answer 14

wave speed = frequency * wavelength

Question 15

What is the unit for speed?

Answer 15

m/s

Question 16

What is a method to measure the speed of sound waves in air?

Answer 16

Resonance - clap echo method
- Clanging two objects together and timing how long it takes for the echo to be heard after the sound

Question 17

What is the relationship between velocity, frequency and wavelength in transmission of sound waves?


Answer 17

The change in speed will also cause a change in wavelength but frequency is unaffected

Question 18

How can waves be reflected, absorbed or transmitted?


Answer 18

At boundary between two different materials

Question 19

What do sound waves cause In the ear?


Answer 19

Ear drum and other parts vibrate which causes sensation of sound, works over a limited frequency range - restricts the limits of human hearing

Question 20

What are the processes that convert wave disturbances between sound waves and vibrations in solids?


Answer 20

Transmission and reflection

Question 21

What is the range of normal human hearing?


Answer 21

20Hz to 20kHz

Question 22

How do waves travel at different speeds?


Answer 22

They are absorbed or reflected to different angles depending on the material

Question 23

What are ultrasound waves?


Answer 23

Waves that have a frequency higher than the upper limit of hearing for humans

Question 24

How can ultrasound waves be used for medical and industrial imaging?


Answer 24

• Ultrasound waves are partially reflected when they meet a boundary between two media
• the time taken for the reflections to reach a detector can be used to determine how far away each boundary is - used to make an image

Question 25

How are seismic waves produced?

Answer 25

Earthquakes

Question 26

What type of wave are P-waves?

Answer 26

Longitudinal

Question 27

What type of wave are S-waves?

Answer 27

Transverse

Question 28

What do P-waves and S-waves provide evidence for?

Answer 28

Structure and size of the Earth's core

Question 29

What is echo sounding?

Answer 29

Using high frequency sound waves

Question 30

What can echo sounding be used for?

Answer 30

- Detect objects in deep water - Measure water depths

Question 31

What did the study of seismic waves lead to?

Answer 31

- New evidence that led to discoveries about parts of the Earth which are not directly observable

Question 32

Compare sound waves and X-rays (5)

Answer 32

1. Sound waves are a longitudinal wave - direction of oscillation is parallel to the direction of energy transfer 2. X-rays are transverse waves - direction of oscillation is perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer 3. Sound waves are unable to travel through a vacuum while X-rays can 4. Sound rays ravel at a lower speed 5. X-rays have a greater frequency than sound waves