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Flashcards in Chapter 12 Waves 2 Deck (33)
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1
Q

What is the principle of superposition?

A

This is when two waves overlap, they superpose. When two waves meet at a point the resultant displacement at that point is equal to the sum of the displacements of the individual waves.

2
Q

What is constructive interference?

A

This is when the displacement of the two meeting waves produces a higher displacement and so increases the amplitude

3
Q

What is destructive interference?

A

This is when the displacement of the two meeting waves produces a lower displacement so decrease the amplitude

4
Q

If the two waves have the same amplitude but the oposite displacements, what will happen?

A

The overall amplitude will be 0

5
Q

What can be seen with ripples in a pond from two sources?

A

An interference pattern can be seen. Where the waves are in phase there is constructive interference and where waves are out of phase there is destructive interference.

6
Q

What is coherence?

A

This is when two waves from two sources have a constant phase difference

7
Q

What can be deduced from coherant waves?

A

The two waves have the same frequency

8
Q

What is a maxima?

A

This is the point of maximum constructive interference

9
Q

What is a minima?

A

This is the point of minimum constructive interferance

10
Q

What is a path difference?

A

This is the difference in the distances each wave from two different sources has travelled

11
Q

What is known about the path difference of a maxima?

A

The path difference is a whole number of wavelengths

12
Q

What is know about the path difference of a minima?

A

The path difference is half a wavelength. e.g. 1.5λ or 5.5λ

13
Q

What is the central maxima and what is known about it?

A

It is the middle maxima where the path difference between the waves is 0λ and is equidistance between the two sources

14
Q

What are the units / measurements of phase difference?

A

Either wavelength or degrees or radians

15
Q

What is monochromatic light?

A

This is light that is all one frequency

16
Q

What is youngs two slit experiment?

A

This is when a single source of monochromatic light is shone diffracts through two slits that then cause an interference pattern on a screen

17
Q

What did Youngs two slit experiment show?

A

It showed that light was a wave

18
Q

What is the equation for youngs two slit experiment?

A
λ = ax / D
λ = wavelength
a = the slit separation
x = the difference between maxima on the screen
D = distance between the screen and the two slits
19
Q

What is a stationary wave?

A

This is the product of two progressive waves that constructively interfere and appears to be stationary

20
Q

What is a node and antinode?

A

A node is the point on a stationary wave where there is no displacement. An antinode is the point of maximum dispalcement

21
Q

The separation between two nodes is…

A

equal to the wavelength

22
Q

What is special about a stationary wave verses a progressive wave?

A

Stationary waves do not transfer energy

23
Q

What can be said about the phase of particles along a stationary wave?

A

Between two nodes all the particles are in phase, they all reach there maxima at the same time but their amplitudes are different.
On different sides of a node, the particles are in antiphase

24
Q

What is the fundamental frequency?

A

This is the minimum frequency for a stationary wave on a string

25
Q

What is a harmonic?

A

This is the different frequencies that form a stationary wave on a string. They are related to the fundamental frequency

26
Q

What is the wavelength, frequency and frequency as a multiple of f0 for the first 5 harmonics of a string with a fundamental frequency of 20Hz

A

1: 20Hz 2Lλ f0
2: 40Hz Lλ 2f0
3: 60Hz 1.5Lλ 3f0
4: 80Hz 0.5Lλ 4f0
5: 100Hz 2/5Lλ 5f0

27
Q

Why do harmonics occur?

A

Because there has to be a node at either end and then the length of the string does not change so the amount that the string can be divided into is limited

28
Q

How is a stationary wave formed with sound?

A

A speaker is faced against a solid surface. This causes a node to be formed where the solidsurface is

29
Q

Why is there a node formed at the end of a tube that is closed at one end?

A

Because the air at the end cannot move because it is against a wall. So therefore it forms a node

30
Q

What do we know about a stationary wave in a tube with a closed end?

A

There is a node at the closed and an antinode at the open end

31
Q

What is the wavelength of the first harmonic of a stationary wave formed in a tube with a closed end

A

4x the length of the tube

32
Q

What are the harmonics of a tube with a closed end?

A

They are all odd multiples of the fundamental frequency because that would require a antinode to form at the closed end which isn’t possible

33
Q

What happens with stationary waves in an open tube?

A

An antinode forms at each end

All integer multiples of f0 can be made