Studied by 0 people
Looks like no one added any tags here yet for you.
Wave
A disturbance that transfers energy through matter or space without transferring matter.
Mechanical waves
Waves that require a medium to transfer, such as sound and water.
Non-mechanical waves
Waves that do not require a medium to transfer, such as electromagnetic waves.
Wavelength (λ)
Length of 1 complete wave, measured in meters (m).
Frequency (f)
Number of waves passing a point per second, measured in Hertz (Hz).
Speed (v)
Distance travelled by a wave per unit time, measured in meters per second (m/s).
Time period (T)
Time taken for 1 complete wave, measured in seconds (s).
Crest (Peak)
The highest point of a wave.
Trough
The lowest point of a wave.
Amplitude
Displacement from an undisturbed point of a wave to a crest or trough.
Wavefront
Line or plane on which all particles vibrate in the same way (or same phase).
Transverse waves
Waves where particles vibrate perpendicular to the wave motion or direction of energy transfer.
Longitudinal waves
Waves where particles vibrate parallel to the direction of wave motion or energy transfer.
Refraction
Bending of a wave when it enters a different medium.
Diffraction
Bending of waves around an obstacle.
Pitch
The perceived frequency of a sound; higher frequency corresponds to higher pitch.
Loudness
The perceived intensity of a sound, directly proportional to amplitude.
Audible range
The range of frequencies that can be heard by the human ear, typically from 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
Real image
An image that can be obtained on a screen, formed when light rays meet.
Virtual image
An image that cannot be obtained on a screen, formed when light rays do not meet.
Total internal reflection
Complete reflection of light back into the original medium when going from a denser to a rarer medium.
Critical angle
The angle of incidence above which total internal reflection occurs.
Dispersion of light
The splitting of light into its component colors when passed through a prism.
Convex lens
A lens that converges light rays that are parallel to its principal axis.
Concave lens
A lens that diverges light rays that are parallel to its principal axis.
Refractive index (n)
A measure of how much the speed of light changes as it enters a medium; it is constant for a given medium.
Electromagnetic waves
Non-mechanical transverse waves traveling at the speed of light in a vacuum.
VIBGYOR
An acronym used to memorize the colors of the spectrum: Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red.
Sound speed in air
Approximately 330–350 meters per second.
Sound speed in water
Approximately 1500 meters per second.
Speed of light in vacuum
Approximately 3 x 10⁸ meters per second.
Echo
A reflection of sound arriving back after a delay.
Lateral inversion
The sideways reversal of images seen in plane mirrors.
Wave Speed Formula
v = f × λ
Frequency Formula
f = 1/T
Time Period Formula
T = 1/f
Refractive Index Formula
n = c/v
Speed of Sound Formula in Different Mediums
v = √(B/ρ)
Critical Angle Formula
sin(θc) = n2/n1
Note 
Flashcard (22)