Oscillations and Waves

Flashcards about oscillations and waves.

Oscillation

Any back-and-forth motion.

Frequency (F)

How frequently the thing/motion returns back to where we started counting; the number of cycles in some amount of time, usually a second.

Cycle

One complete back-and-forth motion.

Units of Frequency

Cycles per second, written as cycles/seconds or Hertz (Hz).

Hertz (Hz)

Cycles per second; used to measure frequency.

MHz (Megahertz)

A million cycles per second; used for faster oscillations.

GHz (Gigahertz)

A billion cycles per second; used for very fast oscillations.

Energy

The ability to cause change of some sort.

Relationship between Frequency and Energy

The higher the frequency (F), the more energy of oscillation.

Amplitude (A)

How far the oscillation moves to either side of the center point.

Relationship between Amplitude and Energy

The larger the amplitude (A), the more energy of oscillation.