Wave Basics and Types

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Questions and Answers

What is the definition of frequency in periodic motion?

The distance you move from your starting point

Time taken for one complete cycle

The maximum displacement from equilibrium

Number of complete cycles per second (correct)

Which of the following statements is true about transverse waves?

They compress the medium during propagation.

They cannot carry energy through a vacuum.

The disturbance is parallel to the direction of wave travel.

The highest points are called crests. (correct)

What characterizes compressions in longitudinal waves?

Regions where particles are closest together (correct)

Areas of maximum displacement above equilibrium

Regions where particles are farthest apart

Sections of the wave that do not oscillate

Which property distinguishes mechanical waves from electromagnetic waves?

Mechanical waves need a medium to propagate. Signup and view all the answers

How is amplitude defined in the context of oscillation?

The maximum displacement from the equilibrium position Signup and view all the answers

What does an increase in the amplitude of a transverse wave indicate about the energy carried by the wave?

The energy carried by the wave increases. Signup and view all the answers

How is the wavelength of a longitudinal wave defined?

Distance from one compression to the next compression. Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the wavelength of a wave as its frequency increases?

The wavelength decreases. Signup and view all the answers

Which formula correctly relates wave speed, frequency, and wavelength?

v = fλ Signup and view all the answers

Which factor does NOT affect wave speed?

The amplitude of the wave. Signup and view all the answers

What occurs when waves pass through a material?

Transmission Signup and view all the answers

Which type of interference results in a wave with greater amplitude than either of the original waves?

Constructive interference Signup and view all the answers

What does the law of reflection state?

Angle of incidence equals angle of reflection Signup and view all the answers

What happens to a wave's direction when it changes speed?

It refracts Signup and view all the answers

What occurs when a wave travels around the edges of an object?

Diffraction Signup and view all the answers

If the wavelength increases and the frequency stays the same, what happens to the velocity?

Increases Signup and view all the answers

What defines a standing wave?

Two waves of the same frequency traveling opposite directions Signup and view all the answers

What determines the amount of diffraction a wave experiences?

Wavelength and size of the object Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Wave Basics

Oscillations: Repetitive back and forth motion around an equilibrium point.
Cycle: One complete oscillation, starting and ending at the same point.
Amplitude: Maximum displacement of an oscillator from its equilibrium position.
Time Period (T): Time taken for one complete cycle.
Frequency (f): Number of complete cycles per second (f = 1/T).
Restoring Force: Force that pulls the system back towards equilibrium.
Wave: A disturbance that transfers energy without transferring matter.

Wave Types

Transverse Waves: Disturbance is perpendicular to the direction of wave travel.
- Crests: Highest points of a transverse wave.
- Troughs: Lowest points of a transverse wave.
Longitudinal Waves: Particles in the medium move parallel to the direction of wave travel.
- Compressions: Regions where particles are closest together.
- Rarefactions: Regions where particles are farthest apart.
Mechanical Waves: Require a medium (solid, liquid, or gas) to travel; can be both transverse and longitudinal.
Electromagnetic Waves: Can travel through a vacuum and matter; carry radiant energy.
- Non-Ionizing Radiation: Longer wavelength, lower frequency, lower energy.
- Ionizing Radiation: Short wavelength, higher frequency, higher energy.

Wave Properties

Amplitude (Transverse): Distance from the resting position to a crest or trough; larger amplitude means more energy carried.
Amplitude (Longitudinal): Determined by the distance between particles in compressions and rarefactions; greater amplitude means particles are closer in compressions and farther apart in rarefactions.
Wavelength (λ): Distance between two identical points on a wave, usually measured in meters.
- Transverse Wavelength: Distance between two consecutive crests or troughs.
- Longitudinal Wavelength: Distance between two compressions or two rarefactions.
Frequency: Number of wavelengths that pass a point each second, also equal to the number of vibrations per second; as frequency increases, wavelength decreases (f = n/t).
Wave Speed: Depends on the type of wave and the medium it travels through; temperature also affects speed.
- Wave Speed Equation: v = fλ (v = velocity, f = frequency, λ = wavelength).

Wave Interactions

Absorption: Energy transfer from the wave to the material it is traveling through.
Transmission: Waves pass through a material.
Reflection: Waves bounce off a surface.
- Law of Reflection: Angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.
- Normal: Line perpendicular to the surface.
- Angle of Incidence: Angle between the incoming wave and the normal.
- Angle of Reflection: Angle between the reflected wave and the normal.
Refraction: Change in wave direction due to a change in speed caused by entering a different medium.
Diffraction: Change in wave direction as it travels past an object edge or through an opening.
- Diffraction Causes: Waves travel around the edges of an object; diffraction causes waves to spread after passing through an opening.
- Amount of Diffraction: Depends on wavelength and the size of the object/opening.
Interference: Two overlapping waves combine to form a new wave with a different amplitude.
- Constructive Interference: Crests of two waves overlap, resulting in a larger amplitude wave.
- Destructive Interference: A crest of one wave overlaps a trough of another wave, resulting in a smaller amplitude wave.
Standing Waves: Result of two waves with the same frequency and amplitude traveling in opposite directions; crests and troughs don't move through space.

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Description

Explore the fundamental concepts of waves, including oscillations, amplitude, and frequency. Understand the differences between transverse and longitudinal waves, as well as key components such as crests, troughs, compressions, and rarefactions. This quiz will test your knowledge of these essential principles in wave mechanics.