P7: General Properties of Waves Flashcards Preview

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Flashcards in P7: General Properties of Waves Deck (25)
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1
Q

What do waves do?

A

Transfer energy without transferring matter.

2
Q

Mechanical waves

A

A vibration that travels through a substance.

3
Q

Longitudinal waves

A

Waves in which the vibrations are parallel to the direction of energy transfer.

4
Q

Transverse waves

A

Waves in which the vibrations are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer.

5
Q

Electromagnetic waves

A

Can travel through a vacuum, no medium is needed.

6
Q

Examples of mechanical waves

A

sound, water, seismic

7
Q

Examples of electromagnetic waves

A

light, radio, micro

8
Q

Examples of Transverse waves

A

All electromagnetic waves

9
Q

Example of longitudinal waves

A

Sound

10
Q

Amplitude

A

Height of the wave crest.

11
Q

The bigger the amplitude of the waves…

A

…. the more energy the waves carry.

12
Q

Wavelength

A

The distance from one wavelength to the next.

13
Q

Frequency

A

The number of wave crests passing a fixed point every second.

14
Q

Speed of waves

A

Distance travelled by a wave crest every second.

15
Q

Wave speed (m/s) =

A

Frequency (Hz) x Wavelength (m)

16
Q

Straight waves

A

Plane waves

17
Q

Reflection

A

The change of direction in a light ray or wave at a boundary when a wave/ray stays in the incident medium.

18
Q

Refraction

A

The change of direction of a light ray when it crosses a boundary between two transparent substances.

19
Q

Diffraction

A

The spreading of waves when they pass through a gap or around the edges of an obstacle.

20
Q

The smaller the hole…

A

… The greater the diffraction

21
Q

When is diffraction most noticeable?

A

When the hole is the same size as the wavelength of the wave.

22
Q

What can diffraction cause?

A

Bad TV and Radio connection

23
Q

Interference

A

Reinforcement or cancellation of waves when two sets of identical waves overlap.

24
Q

When waves overlap crest to crest…

A

… constructive interference/ reinforcement takes place

25
Q

What waves overlap crest to trough…

A

… destructive interference/ cancellation takes place.