Phyisics KA Flashcards
KA on Waves (22 cards)
What do waves transfer from one place to another without transferring matter?
Energy
How is wave motion illustrated using a rope or spring?
By vibration (oscillation) of the rope or spring
What features of a wave are described by wavelength, frequency, crest, trough, amplitude, and wave speed?
The characteristics of a wave.
What is meant by the wavelength of a wave?
The distance between two consecutive crests or troughs.
How is the wave speed related to frequency and wavelength?
Wave speed (v) = frequency (f) × wavelength (λ).
In a transverse wave, how is the direction of vibration related to the direction of wave propagation?
The vibration is at right angles (perpendicular) to the direction of wave travel.
Name two types of waves that are transverse.
Electromagnetic radiation and water waves.
In a longitudinal wave, how is the vibration direction related to the wave’s movement?
The vibration is parallel to the direction of wave propagation.
Give two examples of longitudinal waves.
Sound waves and seismic P-waves.
What happens when a wave reflects at a plane surface?
The wave bounces back, changing direction but remaining in the same medium.
What is refraction of a wave?
The change in wave speed and direction when passing through a boundary between two different media.
How does the wavelength affect diffraction when waves pass through a narrow gap?
Longer wavelengths diffract more, spreading out more after passing through the gap.
What happens to the diffraction of waves when the gap size is similar to the wavelength?
The wave diffracts significantly, spreading out after passing through the gap.
Why do electromagnetic waves, water waves, and seismic S-waves all qualify as transverse waves?
Because their vibrations are perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation.
What is the primary difference between transverse and longitudinal waves regarding vibration direction?
Transverse: vibration at right angles to movement; Longitudinal: vibration parallel to movement.
What is wave?
A disturbance that transfers energy from one place to another without transferring matter.
Define wavelength.
The distance between two consecutive crests or troughs in a wave.
What is frequency?
The number of waves passing a point per second, measured in hertz (Hz).
What does amplitude describe in a wave?
The maximum displacement from the rest position, related to the wave’s energy.
What is wave speed?
The speed at which a wave travels through a medium.
Define refraction.
The bending of a wave as it passes from one medium to another due to a change in wave speed.
What is the critical angle?
The angle of incidence in a denser medium beyond which total internal reflection occurs, and the wave reflects entirely back into the medium.
