Understanding Waves: Types and Properties

A wave is a disturbance that carries energy from one place to another.

A transverse wave is one where the direction of vibration is perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation.

In a longitudinal wave, the direction of vibration is parallel to the direction of wave propagation.

<p>Examples include waves in water and electromagnetic waves like radio waves.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Mechanical waves are waves that require a medium to travel through.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Examples of longitudinal waves are sound waves and compression waves in a slinky.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Electromagnetic waves are disturbances in electric and magnetic fields that can travel through a vacuum.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Wavelength is the distance from one point on a wave to the corresponding point on the adjacent wave.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Frequency is the number of waves passing a point per second, measured in hertz (Hz).</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Amplitude is the magnitude of the wave, measured as the distance from the middle to the crest.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A crest is the highest point of a wave, while a trough is the lowest point.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>An oscillation, or cycle, refers to one complete vibration of the source.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The velocity of a wave is calculated using the formula: velocity = frequency x wavelength.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The five wave phenomena are Reflection, Refraction, Diffraction, Interference, and Polarization.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Reflection occurs when a wave bounces off an object in its path.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Diffraction is the spreading out of a wave as it passes through a gap or around an obstacle of similar width.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Constructive interference occurs when two or more waves combine to form a new wave with a greater amplitude.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Destructive interference occurs when waves combine to result in a smaller amplitude than the individual waves.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Polarization restricts the direction of vibration of a wave to one plane, indicating that light is a transverse wave.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Doppler Effect describes the change in frequency and wavelength of a wave in relation to an observer moving toward or away from the source.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Doppler Effect is the change in frequency and wavelength of waves perceived by an observer due to the relative motion between the wave source and the observer.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Light from distant galaxies is redshifted, indicating they are moving away from Earth, which suggests the Universe is expanding.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A speed gun measures the change in frequency of radio waves reflected off a moving vehicle to calculate its speed.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>As a sound source approaches, its frequency appears higher to the observer.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A redshift in a star's spectrum indicates it is moving away from Earth.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The pitch increases due to the compression of sound waves in front of the moving speaker.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Ultrasound is an application of the Doppler Effect used in medical imaging.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>By swinging a speaker in a circle while observers note the changes in pitch as it approaches and recedes, demonstrating frequency variation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The frequency decreases as the sound source moves away from the observer.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Radar is another application of the Doppler Effect.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Mechanical waves require a medium to travel through, while electromagnetic waves do not and can propagate through a vacuum.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Amplitude is the maximum displacement from the equilibrium position, while wavelength is the distance between two successive crests or troughs.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Frequency indicates how many complete cycles or waves pass a point in one second, influencing the wave's energy and pitch.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It indicates that the Universe is expanding.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>In transverse waves, particles vibrate perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation, while in longitudinal waves, particles vibrate parallel to the wave's direction.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A speed gun emits radio waves that reflect off a moving vehicle, measuring the frequency change in the reflected waves to calculate speed.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The frequency increases as the source approaches the observer.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A continuous sine wave pattern represents a smooth and consistent oscillation of energy through a medium, signifying regular wave behavior.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Wave speed is equal to the product of frequency and wavelength, expressed mathematically as $v = f \cdot \lambda$.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The frequency decreases as the source moves away from the observer.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Medical imaging, ultrasound, and weather forecasting.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A medium provides the necessary environment for particle interaction, allowing mechanical waves to carry energy through displacement.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The velocity of a wave is equal to the product of its wavelength and frequency, expressed as $velocity = frequency \times wavelength$.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Sound waves have longer wavelengths compared to light waves, allowing them to spread out and bend around obstacles, while the smaller wavelengths of light limit its ability to diffract through gaps.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Constructive interference happens when two or more waves combine, resulting in a single wave of greater amplitude than the original waves.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Destructive interference occurs when two waves are out of phase, specifically when the crest of one wave aligns with the trough of another, reducing the overall amplitude.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The polarization of light waves indicates that they are transverse waves since the vibration direction is restricted to one plane.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Coherent sources are those that produce waves of the same frequency and maintain a constant phase difference.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>As a source approaches, the wavelength compresses and frequency increases, leading to a higher perceived pitch.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Waves in a ripple tank can demonstrate diffraction when they encounter gaps or obstacles, spreading out as they pass through.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The ability of light to polarize provides evidence that it is a transverse wave, as only transverse waves can be polarized.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Complete destructive interference occurs when two waves of the same wavelength and amplitude are perfectly out of phase, resulting in a total amplitude of zero.</p> Signup and view all the answers