Terms and Concepts: Waves

Doppler Effect

A change in frequency caused by the movement of the source

Diffraction

The bending or spreading of a wave around an obstacle

Wave

A disturbance in space that carries energy and is caused by a vibration

Red Shift

A change in the color of light as an object moves away from you at the speed of light

Blue Shift

A change in the color of light as an object moves towards you at the speed of light

Ultrasonic Waves

Inaudible to humans

Slinky Lab

Focus on interference and reflection, refer to PowerPoint

Light Wave

Does not require a medium to travel through

Mechanical Wave

Requires a medium for propagation

Constructive Interference

When in-phase waves combine to increase amplitude

Destructive Interference

When in-phase waves combine to decrease amplitude or cancel out

Refraction

The bending of a wave due to a change in speed as it moves from one medium to another

Reflection

When light bounces off a surface

Amplitude

Indicates the energy carried by a wave

Transverse Wave

Energy moves perpendicular to particle motion

Compressional Wave

Energy and particles move parallel to each other

Example of Transverse Wave

Electromagnetic waves like light

Example of Compressional Wave

Sound waves

Simplest Wave

Pulse, a one-time disturbance

Real-Time Perception

Light takes time to reflect, so we see things as they were

Speed of Light

300,000 meters per second

Speed of Sound

330 meters per second or 700 miles per hour

Speed of Sound Dependency

Medium and temperature affect sound speed

Amplitude, Wavelength, Crest, Trough, Frequency, Compression, Rarefaction

Wave characteristics

Test Tube Disappearance

Refraction matching with oil makes the test tube transparent

Speed of Sound and Temperature

Sound speed increases with temperature rise

Metallic Salts Spectra

Different materials produce different colors

Colored Lights Spectra

Different colored lights have distinct spectra