P2 - Waves Flashcards
How do waves transfer energy ?
When waves travel through a medium these particles oscillate and transfer energy between each other - but overall the particles stay in the same place - only energy is transferred.
What is the amplitude of a wave ?
The maximum displacement of a point of a wave from its undisturbed position.
What is wavelength ?
The distance between the same point on two adjacent waves.
What is the frequency of waves ?
The number of complete waves passing a certain point per second (measured in hertz - Hz)
What is the period of a wave ?
The amount of time it takes for a full cycle of the wave to pass a point: period (s) = 1 ÷ frequency (Hz) // T = 1 ÷ f
What are transverse waves ?
Waves where the oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer - such as all electromagnetic waves, ripples and waves in water and a wave on a string.
What are longitudinal waves ?
Waves where the oscillations are parallel to the direction of energy transfer - such as sound waves in air (ultrasound) and shockwaves (seismic waves).
How can you calculate wave speed ?
Wave speed (m/s) = frequency (Hz) × wavelength (m) // v = fλ
What does wave speed mean ?
The speed at which energy is being transferred.
How can you measure the speed of sound ?
Measure the distance between the two microphones to find one wavelength and multiply by the frequency you set the signal generator to to get the speed of the sound waves passing through air.
How do you set up the equipment to measure the speed of sound ?
Use a signal generator and speaker to generate sounds with specific frequencies, and then set up an oscilloscope so that detected waves from two microphones are shown as separate waves, start with mics next to speaker and move one away until two waves are aligned on the display but moved one wavelength apart.
P
128
