WAVES Flashcards
(24 cards)
What are the two types of waves?
- Transverse
- Longitudinal
What is a transverse wave?
A wave for which the oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer.
What is a longitudinal wave?
A wave for which the oscillations are parallel to the direction of energy transfer.
Give two examples of transverse waves.
- Electromagnetic waves
- Seismic s-waves
Give two examples of longitudinal waves.
- Sound waves
- Seismic p-waves
What are the two parts of a longitudinal wave called?
Compressions and rarefactions.
What are the two parts of a transverse wave called?
Peaks and troughs.
What is a wave’s amplitude?
The maximum displacement of a point on a wave from its undisturbed position.
What is wavelength?
● The distance from a point on a wave to the same position on the adjacent wave.
● Most commonly peak to peak or trough to trough.
What is the frequency of a wave?
The number of waves that pass a given point each second.
What is the unit used for frequency?
Hertz, Hz
What is meant by a frequency of 200Hz?
200 waves pass a given point each second.
What is wave speed?
The speed at which energy is transferred through a medium.
What does a wave transfer?
Energy.
Waves do not transfer matter.
State the equation used to calculate wave speed. Give appropriate units.
Wave Speed = Frequency x Wavelength
Speed (m/s), Frequency (Hz), Wavelength (m)
What word is used to describe when a wave bounces off a surface?
Reflection.
What type of spectrum do electromagnetic waves form?
A continuous spectrum.
Order the types of electromagnetic radiation from lowest to highest frequency.
● Radio waves
● Microwaves
● Infrared
● Visible Light
● Ultraviolet
● X-rays
● Gamma Rays
Which types of electromagnetic radiation have the longest and shortest wavelength?
Longest: radio waves
Shortest: gamma rays
Which types of electromagnetic radiation have the lowest and highest energy?
Lowest: radio waves
Highest: gamma rays
How do the speeds of EM radiation differ in a vacuum and in air?
Electromagnetic waves all travel at the same speed in a vacuum and in air.
What property of waves in different mediums causes refraction?
● Velocity
● Wave speed is slower in denser materials, causing refraction
In which direction relative to the normal do waves refract when entering a denser medium?
● They bend towards the normal
● The angle of refraction is less than the angle of incidence
What is a geostationary satellite and what are they used for?
● A satellite that has the same period as the Earth and so remains in a fixed position relative to the Earth.
● Used for communications such as satellite TV signals.
