waves

What is a wave?

A wave is a disturbance that transfers energy from one place to another without transferring matter.

What is a medium? Give an example.

A medium is the substance through which a wave travels; examples include water for water waves and air for sound waves.

Difference between mechanical and electromagnetic waves?

Mechanical waves require a medium to propagate, while electromagnetic waves do not and can travel through a vacuum.

What are the three types of waves?

Transverse, longitudinal, and surface waves.

Types of waves: Example of transverse wave.

Light waves or water waves.

Types of waves: Example of longitudinal wave.

Sound waves.

Parts of a transverse wave: Crest, Trough, Amplitude.

Crest: highest point; Trough: lowest point; Amplitude: distance from the rest position to crest or trough.

Parts of a longitudinal wave: Compression and Rarefaction.

Compression: regions where particles are close together; Rarefaction: regions where particles are spread apart.

What basic characteristic of waves indicates distance?

Wavelength (λ): the distance between two consecutive points in phase.

What is frequency and its unit?

Frequency (f): the number of complete wave cycles per second, measured in hertz (Hz).

How does the amplitude affect sound?

Amplitude affects loudness; larger amplitude means louder sound.

What is sound?

Sound is a mechanical wave that propagates through the vibration of particles in a medium.

How do temperature and medium affect the speed of sound?

Speed of sound is fastest in solids, slower in liquids, and slowest in gases; it increases with temperature.

Frequency affects what sound quality?

Frequency affects pitch; higher frequency equals higher pitch.

How is light produced?

Light is produced when charged particles in atoms move between energy levels, emitting energy as electromagnetic radiation.

What defines the electromagnetic spectrum?

The electromagnetic spectrum ranges from long wavelengths (radio waves) to short wavelengths (gamma rays).

What is reflection in wave interactions?

Reflection is when a wave bounces off a surface.

State the law of reflection.

The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.

What causes refraction?

Refraction occurs when a wave changes speed as it enters a new medium, altering its direction.

Types of interference: Constructive vs Destructive.

Constructive interference: waves combine to create a larger amplitude; Destructive interference: waves cancel each other, resulting in a smaller wave.

What is the Doppler effect?

A change in the frequency (or wavelength) of a wave as observed when the source moves toward or away from the observer.

What is redshift and blueshift?

Redshift: light waves stretch to longer wavelengths as the source moves away; Blueshift: light waves compress to shorter wavelengths as the source moves closer.