Waves 1

Basics of waves

Progressive wave

Progressive wave

A wave in which the peaks and troughs, or compressions and rarefactions, move through the medium as energy is transferred

Displacement

distance from the equilibrium position in a particular direction; a vector, so it can have either a positive or a negative value

Amplitude

maximum displacement from the equilibrium position (can be positive or negative)

Wavelength

minimum distance between two points in phase on adjacent waves, for example, the distance from one peak to the next or from one compression to the next

Period of oscillation (time period)

the time taken for one oscillation or time taken for wave to move one whole wavelength past a given point

Frequency

the number of wavelengths passing a given point per unit time

Wave speed

the distance travelled by the wave per unit time

Wave equation

v = fλ

Phase

The position of a certain point on a wave cycle, (units are radians, degrees or fractions of a cycle)

Phase difference

How much a particle/wave lags behind another particle/wave

Transverse wave sketch (include the direction of oscillations, the direction of energy transfer, equilibrium position, wavelength, amplitude and peak & trough)

Longitudinal wave sketch (include the direction of oscillations, the direction of energy transfer, equilibrium position, wavelength, amplitude and compressions & rarefactions)

Transverse wave

A wave in which the medium is displaced perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer - the oscillations of medium particles are perpendicular to the direction of travel of the wave

Longitudinal wave

A wave in which the medium is displaced in the same line as the direction of energy transfer - oscillations of the medium particles are parallel to the direction of the wave travel.