IPC Vocabulary Chapter 9

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Questions and Answers

What is a longitudinal wave?

A wave where matter moves back and forth along the direction of wave travel (correct)

A wave that transfers energy without matter

A wave where matter moves at right angles to the wave direction

A wave that can travel through a vacuum

What are mechanical waves?

Waves that can travel only through matter.

What is a medium in wave terminology?

The matter through which a wave travels.

Describe a transverse wave.

Waves in which matter moves at right angles to the direction of the wave. Signup and view all the answers

What is an amplitude?

A measure of the size of the disturbance of a wave, related to the energy it carries. Signup and view all the answers

What is a compression in a longitudinal wave?

The denser region of a longitudinal wave. Signup and view all the answers

What is a crest in a transverse wave?

The high point of a transverse wave. Signup and view all the answers

Define frequency in wave terminology.

The number of wavelengths that pass a fixed point each second; expressed in hertz. Signup and view all the answers

What is the period of a wave?

The amount of time it takes for one wavelength to pass a point; expressed in seconds. Signup and view all the answers

What is rarefaction in a longitudinal wave?

The less-dense region of a longitudinal wave. Signup and view all the answers

Define trough in wave terminology.

The low point of a transverse wave. Signup and view all the answers

What is a wavelength?

The distance between one point on a wave and the nearest point just like it. Signup and view all the answers

What does diffraction refer to?

The bending of a wave around an object or when passing through a narrow opening. Signup and view all the answers

Define interference in wave terms.

The process of two or more waves overlapping and combining to form a new wave. Signup and view all the answers

What is a node in wave terminology?

A point in a standing wave at which the interfering waves always cancel. Signup and view all the answers

What is refraction?

The bending of a wave caused by a change in its speed as it travels from one medium to another. Signup and view all the answers

Define resonance.

The process by which an object is made to vibrate by absorbing energy at its natural frequency. Signup and view all the answers

What is a standing wave?

A wave pattern that forms when waves of equal wavelength and amplitude, traveling in opposite directions, continuously interfere. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Wave Types

Longitudinal Wave: Matter moves back and forth in the same direction as the wave travels.
Transverse Wave: Matter moves perpendicularly to the wave direction, characterized by crests (high points) and troughs (low points).
Mechanical Wave: Requires a medium (solid, liquid, gas) to travel through, cannot propagate in a vacuum.

Wave Properties

Wave: Defined as a repeating disturbance that transfers energy through space or matter.
Medium: The substance or material that carries the wave.
Amplitude: Indicates the disturbance size of a wave, correlating with energy carried; higher amplitude means more energy.

Wave Measurements

Frequency: The number of wavelengths that pass a fixed point each second, measured in hertz (Hz).
Period: The time it takes for one wavelength to pass a point, expressed in seconds.
Wavelength: The distance between two identical points on consecutive waves, affecting wave frequency and speed.

Wave Phenomena

Compression: Areas of high density in a longitudinal wave, where particles are closely packed.
Rarefaction: Areas of low density in a longitudinal wave, where particles are spread out.
Diffraction: The bending of waves around obstacles or when passing through narrow openings.
Refraction: The bending of waves when they change speed as they move into a different medium.

Wave Interactions

Interference: Occurs when two or more waves overlap and combine, resulting in a new wave pattern.
Node: Points in a standing wave where interfering waves cancel each other out, leading to no movement.

Special Wave Concepts

Crest: The peak of a transverse wave.
Trough: The lowest point of a transverse wave.
Standing Wave: A stationary wave pattern formed by interference of two waves traveling in opposite directions with equal wavelength and amplitude.
Resonance: The process by which an object vibrates at its natural frequency due to energy absorption.

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Description

Test your knowledge on key terms from IPC Chapter 9 with these flashcards. This set covers essential vocabulary related to waves and how they interact with different mediums. Perfect for mastering the concepts in your physics studies!