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Questions and Answers
Period: __________ that it takes for a wave to repeat itself.
Period: __________ that it takes for a wave to repeat itself.
time
What is the speed of all electromagnetic waves in a vacuum?
What is the speed of all electromagnetic waves in a vacuum?
- 3 x 10^8 m/s (correct)
- 3 x 10^9 m/s
- 3 x 10^10 m/s
- 3 x 10^6 m/s
Frequency: How many __________ cycles you have in a given period of time.
Frequency: How many __________ cycles you have in a given period of time.
cycles
Only waves diffract; particles do not diffract.
Only waves diffract; particles do not diffract.
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Diffraction: _______________ bending of a wave around a barrier, or through an opening in a barrier.
Diffraction: _______________ bending of a wave around a barrier, or through an opening in a barrier.
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What occurs when two identical waves travel in opposite directions?
What occurs when two identical waves travel in opposite directions?
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Study Notes
Transverse Waves
- Transverse pulse: A disturbance that travels through a medium, with the vibration perpendicular to the direction of propagation.
- Anatomy of a transverse wave:
- Crest: The highest point of the wave.
- Trough: The lowest point of the wave.
- Equilibrium line: The line representing the resting position of the medium.
Wave Properties
- Period (T): The time it takes for a wave to complete one cycle. Units: seconds (s)
- Frequency (f): The number of cycles a wave completes in a given time. Units: Hertz (Hz)
- Relationship of Period and Frequency: Period (T) is the reciprocal of frequency (f), or T = 1/f.
Wave Interference
- Constructive Interference: When two waves meet, their amplitudes add together, resulting in a larger amplitude.
- Destructive Interference: When two waves meet, their amplitudes cancel each other out, resulting in a smaller amplitude.
Boundary Conditions
- Fixed Boundary: When a wave encounters a fixed boundary, it reflects, inverting its phase.
- Free Boundary: When a wave encounters a free boundary, it reflects, maintaining its original phase.
Standing Waves
- Formation: Standing waves are formed by the superposition of two identical waves traveling in opposite directions.
- Nodes: Points of zero amplitude on a standing wave.
- Antinodes: Points of maximum amplitude on a standing wave.
- Energy relation: The energy of a standing wave increases as its frequency increases.
Light as a Wave
- Speed of Light (c): All electromagnetic waves travel at the same speed in a vacuum, approximately 3 x 10^8 m/s.
- Relationship of Speed, Wavelength, and Frequency: The speed of light (c) is the product of its wavelength (λ) and frequency (f), or c = λf.
Diffraction
- Diffraction: The bending of waves around obstacles or through openings.
- Particles vs. Waves: Only waves exhibit diffraction. Particles do not.
Diffraction and Interference
- Constructive Interference: When crests of waves meet, they reinforce each other, resulting in a brighter light.
- Destructive Interference: When a crest of a wave meets a trough of another wave, they cancel each other out, resulting in a dimmer light.
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