Unit 6 - Waves Flashcards
(67 cards)
What are the two types of waves
-transverse (ripples on water )
-longitudinal (sound waves)
What is amplitude
Maximum displacement of a point on the wave from its undisturbed position
What is the wavelength
Distance between the same point on two adjacent waves (between the trough of one wave and the trough of the wave next to it )
What is the trough and crest
Trough = lowest point
Crest = highest point
What is frequency of waves
-Number of complete waves passing a certain point per second
-measured in hertz
-1 hz is one wave per second
What do waves do
-transfer energy in the direction they are travelling
-when waves travel through a medium, the particles of the medium oscillate and transfer energy between each other
What does oscillate mean
Vibrations or movements
What are transverse waves
-when the oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer
-most waves are transverse including all electromagnetic waves, ripples in water and wave on a string
What are longitudinal waves
-oscillation are parallel to the direction of energy transfer
-if you push the end of a spring you get a longitudinal wave
For equation wave speed = frequency x wave length what are the units for all of them
Wave speed = m/s
Wavelength = m
Frequency = Hz (hertz )
Describe a method to measure the speed of sound waves in air
-set up oscilloscope so the detected waves at each microphone are shown as separate waves
-start with both microphones next to the speaker then slowly move one away until the two waves are aligned on the display but have moved exactly one wavelength apart
-measure the distance between the microphones to find on wavelength
-then use formula wave speed = frequency x wavelength to find speed of sound waves passing through the air
How to calculate wavelength of standing wave
Divide total length by the number of half wavelengths and then you multiply by 2
How are changes in velocity, frequency and wavelength in transmission of sound waves interrelated
-frequency remains unchanged
-velocity changes depending on medium properties (solid or gas)
-wavelength changes proportionally to velocity
What can all waves do (be a_________, t__________ or r__________)
Absorbed, transmitted or reflected
What does transmitted mean
-The waves carry on travelling through the new material
-this often leads to refractment
What does it mean when waves are absorbed
-this means there is a transfer of energy to the materials energy stores
Equation to learn for all reflected waves
Angle of incidence = angle of reflection
What is the angle of incidence
The angle between the incoming wave and the normal line
What is the normal line
-Imaginary line perpendicular to the surface at the point of incidence
-usually shown as dotted line
What is a specular reflection
-happens when a wave is reflected in a single direction by a smooth surface
-e,g when light is reflected by a mirror you get a nice clear reflection
What is a diffuse reflection
-when a wave is reflected by a rough surface (piece of paper) the reflected rays are scattered in lots of different directions
-this happens because the normal line is different for each incoming ray which means that angle of incidence is different for each ray
-when light is reflected by rough surface the surface appears matte and you don’t get clear reflection of object
What is refraction
-waves changing direction at a boundary
-if a light wave hits the boundary face on it carries on in the same direction
-if a wave meets a different medium at an angle the wave changes direction and its refracted
-how much it’s refracted depends on density of the two materials
-the higher the density the slower a wave will travel which will bend it towards the normal line
-if the wave speeds up it will bend away from the normal line
How to construct refraction ray diagram
-draw boundary between 2 materials and the normal line
-draw an incident ray that meets the normal line and label angle of incidence
-draw refracted ray on other side of boundary
-if density increases then angle between normal and refracted ray is smaller than angle of incidence if density decreases then a angle of refraction is bigger
What is a period of a wave
Time taken for a full wave to pass a point