Waves terms

Question 1

What is a wave

Answer 1

A repeated disturbance in a medium eg. ripple in water.
The disturbance provides a source of energy to the medium and this causes the particles in the medium to become displaced. As the energy is transmitted throughout the medium the particle becomes displaced about their rest positions. Thus a wave is a transmitter of energy through a medium.

Question 2

What are the two main types of waves

Answer 2

Progressive waves and stationary waves

Question 3

What are progressive waves

Answer 3

Those which transfer energy from the source of the disturbance
Transverse waves: Electromagnetic waves, water, wind,
Longitudinal waves: sound

Question 4

Transverse waves

Answer 4

The particles move perpendicularly to the direction of travel/propagation of the wave

Question 5

Longitudinal

Answer 5

The particles move parallel to the direction of travel of the wave. The particles vibrate back and forth.

Question 6

Amplitude

Answer 6

Maximum displacement of a trough/crest from rest position in any direction (measured in m) (displacement/m)

Question 7

Frequency

Answer 7

number of cycles per second (Hertz = Hz)

Question 8

Period

Answer 8

Time taken for one complete oscillation i.e one cycle to be generated.
(measured in seconds (s)

Question 9

F

Answer 9

1/T

Question 10

T

Answer 10

1/F

Question 11

Wavelength

Answer 11

Distance between two points which are in phase (trough-crest or crest-trough) It is the distances travelled by the wave in one cycle

Question 12

V

Answer 12

V=fλ

Question 13

Wavefront

Answer 13

imaginary surface of several waves together, consists of a series of several waves in phase

Question 14

Polarization

Answer 14

Waves passing through a slit or polarizer, the process by which light is directed in one plane only.