What are the two types of waves?
Transverse or longitudinal
What is an example of transverse wave?
The ripples on a water surface
What is an example of a longitudinal wave?
Sound waves travel through air
What do longitudinal waves show?
Areas of compression and rarefaction
What is the difference between transverse and longitudinal waves?
Transverse waves oscillate perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer of waves whereas longitudinal waves oscillate parallel to the direction of energy transfer
What is the amplitude of a wave ?
The maximum displacement of a point on a wave away from its undisturbed position
What is the wavelength of a wave?
The distance from a point on one wave to the equivalent point on the adjacent wave
What is the frequency of a wave?
The number of waves passing a point each second
How to calculate the period?
1/frequency
What is the symbol for period?
T
What is the wave speed?
The speed at which the energy is transferred ( or the wave moves) through the medium
What is the equation for wave speed?
Frequency. Wavelength
What is the symbol for wave speed and what is it measured in?
V in metres per second
What is the symbol for frequency and what is it measured in?
f in hertz Hz
What is the symbol for wavelength and what is it measured in?
wavelength, λ, in metres, m
Where can waves be reflected?
At the boundary between two different materials
Where can waves be absorbed or transmitted?
At the boundary between 2 different materials
What can sound waves travel through and what do they cause?
Through solids causing vibrations in the solid
What do sound waves do within the ear?
Cause the ear drum and other parts to vibrate which causes the sensation of sound
What works over a limited frequency range?
The conversion of sound waves to vibrations of solids
What restricts the limits of human hearing?
The fact that the conversion of sound waves to vibrations of solids works over a limited frequency range
What is the range of normal human hearing?
20Hz to 20kHz
What can be used both for detection and exploration of structures which are hidden from direct observation?
The differences in velocity absorption and reflection between different types of wave in solids and liquid
What do ultrasound waves have which is higher than the upper limit of hearing for humans ?
A higher frequency