Waves Flashcards
:D (44 cards)
?What are waves?
The transfer of energy without the transfer of matter.
They can move matter, but not transfer the matter. They VIBRATE the matter. So cool.
What is an exception to the rule that all waves need particles?
Electromagnetic waves.
These waves can transfer energy without requiring a medium.
What are the three ways that heat travels through matter?
- Conduction
- Convection
- Radiation
Heat travels from hot areas to colder areas.
What is conduction?
The process where heat energy is transferred through direct contact of particles.
Particles transfer energy kinetically to adjacent particles.
Explain convection in terms of particle movement.
Particles gain energy and separate, becoming less dense, allowing denser cold particles to sink and create a convection current.
Hot air/liquid rises, cools, and sinks back down.
What is the particle model?
A scientific model that describes matter as made up of tiny particles (atoms/molecules/ions)
It explains how heat transfer occurs.
Give an example of conduction in everyday life.
Clutching a mug of hot liquid.
Heat transfers from the cup to your hands.
What is the definition of a wave?
Something that transfers energy but not matter.
Identify examples of wave energy transfer in different dimensions.
- One Dimension: Rope attached to a wall
- Two Dimensions: Ripples across a pond
- Three Dimensions: Sound from a source
What is wavelength?
Distance between two successive waves, measured in metres.
Measured peak-to-peak or trough-to-trough.
Define frequency.
Amount of waves produced per second, measured in Hertz (Hz).
What does speed refer to in the context of waves?
How quickly the wave travels.
What is amplitude?
The maximum distance a wave extends beyond its middle point.
How are frequency and wavelength related?
The higher the frequency, the shorter the wavelength.
What distinguishes transverse waves from longitudinal/compression waves?
Transverse waves’ particles vibrate at right angles to the direction of the wave; longitudinal waves’ particles vibrate in the same direction as the wave.
What is an example of a longitudinal wave?
Sound waves.
What is pitch?
Pitch is how high or low a note is and is related to frequency.
What determines the loudness of a sound?
Loudness relates to the amplitude of the sound wave.
Difference between pitch and loudness?
PITCH: how high/low a note is. Related to frequency
LOUDNESS: how much volume the wave has. Amplitude of the sound wave.
Explain how sound travels faster in solids than in liquids/gases using particle matter.
Particles in solids are closer together, making it easier for sound to transfer, directly from particle-to-particle.
What does the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum contain?
Waves that travel at the speed of light and do not require a medium.
What are electromagnetic waves made up of?
An electric field and a magnetic field that are perpendicular to each other.
Describe the law of reflection of light.
The angle of the reflected ray is equal to the angle of the incident ray.
What happens to light when it travels through a different substance?
Light refracts when it travels at an angle into a substance with a different refractive index.
This change of direction is caused by a change in speed. For example, when light travels from air into water, it slows down, causing it to continue to travel at a different angle or direction.
