Mechanical Waves Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What causes mechanical waves?

Mechanical waves are produced when a source of energy causes a medium to vibrate.

What is vibration?

Vibration is a repeated back-and-forth or up-and-down motion.

What are the two types of waves and how are they classified?

Mechanical waves are classified by how they move; there are two types of mechanical waves: transverse waves and longitudinal waves.

What are transverse waves?

<p>Transverse waves are waves that move the medium at right angles to the direction in which the waves travel.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a crest?

<p>The crest is the high point of a transverse wave.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a trough?

<p>The trough is the lowest point of a transverse wave.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are longitudinal waves?

<p>Longitudinal waves move the medium parallel to the direction in which the waves travel.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is compression?

<p>Compression is when things are close together.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is rarefaction?

<p>Rarefaction is when things are spread out.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is amplitude?

<p>Amplitude is the maximum distance that the particles of the medium carrying the wave move away from their rest positions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is wavelength?

<p>The wavelength is the distance between two corresponding parts of a wave.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is frequency?

<p>Frequency is the number of completed waves that pass a given point in a certain amount of time.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is hertz?

<p>Hertz is the SI unit for frequency.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the formula that relates speed, wavelength, and frequency?

<p>Speed = Wavelength x Frequency.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the formulas for frequency and wavelength?

<p>Frequency = Speed/Wavelength and Wavelength = Speed/Frequency.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is reflection?

<p>Reflection occurs when an object or a wave hits a surface through which it cannot pass, causing it to bounce back.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the law of reflection state?

<p>The law of reflection states that the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is refraction?

<p>Refraction occurs when a wave enters a new medium at an angle, causing the wave to bend.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is diffraction?

<p>Diffraction occurs when a wave moves around a barrier or through an opening in a barrier, causing it to bend and spread out.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is interference?

<p>Interference is the interaction between waves that meet; there are two types: constructive and destructive interference.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is constructive interference?

<p>Constructive interference occurs when waves combine to make a wave with a larger amplitude.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is destructive interference?

<p>Destructive interference occurs when two waves combine to make a wave with a smaller amplitude.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a standing wave?

<p>A standing wave is produced when the incoming wave and a reflected wave have just the right frequency, making it appear to stand still.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are nodes?

<p>Nodes are points of zero amplitude on a standing wave.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are antinodes?

<p>Antinodes are the points of maximum amplitudes on a standing wave.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is resonance?

<p>Resonance is an increase in the amplitude of a vibration that occurs when external vibrations match an object's natural frequency.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a wave?

<p>A disturbance that transfers energy from place to place.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How are mechanical waves created?

<p>Mechanical waves are created when a source of energy causes a medium to vibrate.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How are mechanical waves classified?

<p>Mechanical waves are classified according to how they move.</p> Signup and view all the answers

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Study Notes

Mechanical Waves

  • Caused by energy sources that cause a medium to vibrate.
  • Two types: transverse and longitudinal, classified based on movement.

Vibration

  • Defined as repeated back-and-forth or up-and-down motions.

Transverse Waves

  • Move the medium at right angles to the wave direction.
  • Particles move across the direction of the wave motion.

Key Components of Transverse Waves

  • Crest: The high point of a transverse wave.
  • Trough: The lowest point of a transverse wave.

Longitudinal Waves

  • Move the medium parallel to the direction of wave travel.

Key Characteristics of Longitudinal Waves

  • Compression: Regions where particles are closely packed.
  • Rarefaction: Regions where particles are spread out.

Wave Properties

  • Amplitude: Maximum distance from rest position that particles move.
  • Wavelength: Distance between two corresponding points of a wave.
  • Frequency: Number of completed waves passing a point in a given time.
  • Hertz: SI unit for measuring frequency.
  • Speed: Related mathematically by SPEED = WAVELENGTH x FREQUENCY.

Formulas

  • Frequency = Speed/Wavelength
  • Wavelength = Speed/Frequency

Wave Interactions

  • Reflection: Waves bounce back after hitting a surface.
  • Law of Reflection: Angle of incidence equals angle of reflection.

Refraction and Diffraction

  • Refraction: Bending of waves when entering a new medium at an angle.
  • Diffraction: Waves bend and spread around barriers or through openings.

Interference

  • Interaction between waves that meet.
  • Two types:
    • Constructive Interference: Waves combine to create larger amplitude.
    • Destructive Interference: Waves combine to create smaller amplitude.

Standing Waves

  • Formed when incoming and reflected waves combine at specific frequencies.
  • Appear to stand still while two waves interfere.

Nodes and Antinodes

  • Nodes: Points of zero amplitude on a standing wave.
  • Antinodes: Points of maximum amplitude on a standing wave.

Resonance

  • An increase in amplitude when external vibrations match an object's natural frequency.

Waves

  • Defined as disturbances that transfer energy from one location to another.

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