G10 4Q Science: Defining Electromagnetic Waves and Their Properties

Electromagnetic waves

- are transverse waves

- can travel through a vacuum and do not require a medium

Transverse waves

a wave in which the oscillations of the electric and magnetic fields are perpendicular to the direction of the wave propagation

Mechanical waves

waves that require a medium to travel

3x10^8 m/s

In a vacuum, all EM waves travel at the speed of light of...

- Crest

- Trough

- Amplitude

- Wavelength

- Frequency

- Node

The 6 Parts of Transverse Waves

Crest

- the highest point of the wave above the equilibrium (rest) position

- the peak of the wave where the energy is concentrated

Trough

- the lowest point of the wave below the equilibrium position.

- the lowest point where the particles of the medium are displaced the most in the opposite direction to the crest

Amplitude

- the maximum displacement of a point from its equilibrium (rest) position

- it measures how far the particles of the medium move from their equilibrium position during the wave's oscillation

the more energy the wave carries

the larger the amplitude...

Wavelength

- represented by a lambda (λ)

- referred to as the length of one complete wave cycle

- measured in meters

Frequency

- represented by (f)

-refers to how many complete wave cycles pass a given point per unit of time, typically measured in hertz (Hz).

- is inversely related to wavelength

Node

a point where the wave has zero amplitude

inversely proportional

the relationship between frequency and wavelengths is...

directly proportional

the relationship between frequency and energy is...