unit 3.1 General properties of waves

What is a wave?

A regular disturbance transferring energy in the direction of the waves propagation without transferring matter

what are the two types of waves?

longitudinal and transverse

what is a transverse wave?

A wave in which oscillations are at right angles (perpidicular) to the direction of motion

give examples of transverse waves

All electromagnetic waves, water ripples, waves on a string ect

what is a longitudinal wave

A wave in which the particle displacement is parallel to the direction of wave propagation. In these waves, areas of compression and rarefaction move through the medium.

give examples of longitudinal waves

sound waves and seismic P-waves, ultrasound

name the features of transverse waves

crest and troughs, amplitude and wave lengths

name the features of longitudinal waves

compressions and rarefractions

what is a wavelength?

The distance between two consecutive points of the same phase on a wave, such as from crest to crest or trough to trough.

What is frequency?

The number of complete waves that go past a point per unit time

What is amplitude?

The height/ depth of a wave

What is a trough?

The lowest part on a transverse wave

What is a wavefront?

A line drawn to represent waves in a 2D dimension

What is the wave equation?

Velocity = wavelength x frequency

What is refraction?

When the direction of a wave changes because of a change in its speed

E.g from different mediums

Which property of a wave isn’t change by refraction?

The frequency

What is reflection?

The bouncing back of a wave when it strikes a barrier

What is diffraction?

The bending of waves as they pass through an opening/gap or around an object