Waves Flashcards
Physics; Branch 2 - Properties of Waves - Sound Waves - Properties of Sound - Spectrum of Sound - Spectrum of Light
What is a wave?
A wave is a vibration, which carries energy but not matter.
What are the two main types of wave?
Transverse and Longitudinal
4 MARKER; What is the relationship of of the vibration and direction the wave is moving, in each type of wave?
TRANSVERSE; Vibration is at a right angle to the direction the wave is moving.
LONGITUDINAL; Vibration is parallel to the direction the wave is moving.
What is the wavelength in a TRANSVERSE WAVE?
The distance from a peak to peak or trough to trough.
What is the amplitude?
Half the height of a wave
What are compressions and rarefactions?
SLINKY DEMO;
compressions - regions of high pressure, particles are close together
rarefactions- regions of low pressure, particles are further apart
What is a wavelength in a LONGITUDINAL WAVE?
The distance from two rarefactions, or compressions.
Give an example of a longitudinal wave
SOUND WAVE
What is frequency?
Number of waves per second
What is a period?
Time for one wave to pass
6 MARKER; How does the ear work?
PINNA; sound waves are collected
EAR CANAL; waves travel along the ear canal
EARDRUM; Waves reach eardrum and make it vibrate
OSSICLES; amplify these vibrations
COCHLEA; Turns the vibrations into electrical signals
AUDITORY NERVE; takes signals to the brain
How does amplitude affect the sound?
AMPLITUDE affects volume, higher amplitude = louder sound
How does frequency affect sound?
FREQUENCY affects pitch of sound, higher frequency= higher pitch
What is the speed of sound?
340 m/s
How fast is light
300 million m/s
3 MARKER; Where does sound travel most quickly, and why?
Solids, because the particles are the most packed together
Give two differences between sound waves and light waves
Light Waves are transverse, however sound waves are longitudinal. Light waves can travel through a vacuum, but sound waves cannot.
What type of wave is light?
Electromagnetic Waves
What is the sound beneath the range of Human Hearing?
Infrasound
What is the range of hearing above human hearing?
Ultrasound
Give some uses of Ultrasound
Ultrasound Scans
SONAR
Industrial Tests
Give some examples of infrasound waves
Earthquakes create booms at infrasound level
