physics 102 review

What does amplitude tell you about light?

Greater amplitude → greater intensity → brighter light; smaller amplitude → lower intensity → dimmer light.

What does frequency tell you about light?

Higher frequency → blue/violet; lower frequency → red/orange.

What does amplitude tell you about sound?

Greater amplitude → louder sound; smaller amplitude → quieter sound.

What does frequency tell you about sound?

Higher frequency → higher pitch; lower frequency → lower pitch.

Do waves carry matter or energy?

Waves carry energy, not matter.

How do mechanical waves transfer energy?

By vibrating particles in a medium.

How do electromagnetic waves transfer energy?

Through changing electric and magnetic fields.

If the frequency of a wave on a coil spring increases, what happens to the wavelength?

Wave speed stays the same → higher frequency → shorter wavelength.

If the amplitude of a wave on a coil spring increases, what happens to its speed?

The speed stays the same; greater amplitude means more energy.

What is the equation that relates wave speed, frequency, and wavelength?

v = fλ

What is constructive interference?

Two waves combine → greater amplitude.

What is destructive interference?

Two waves subtract → smaller amplitude; they can cancel completely.

What does a point source produce in a ripple tank?

Circular wavefronts.

What does a line source produce in a ripple tank?

Straight, parallel wavefronts.

What happens to a wave when it enters shallow water?

Speed decreases → wavelength decreases; frequency stays the same.

What happens when waves enter shallow water at an angle?

They slow down and bend toward the normal.

What happens to waves when they pass through a small opening?

They spread out → diffraction.

What happens to the wavelength during diffraction?

It stays the same if the medium stays the same.

What happens when waves reflect off a flat surface?

Angle of incidence = angle of reflection.

What happens to frequency and wavelength during reflection?

They stay the same if the wave remains in the same medium.

What is a standing wave?

A stationary pattern made by two waves traveling in opposite directions.

What is a node?

A point with no movement.

What is an antinode?

A point with maximum movement.

What conditions are needed to produce a standing wave?

Two waves with the same frequency traveling in opposite directions.

What is resonance?

When forced vibration matches the natural frequency → large amplitude.

What happens with a tuning fork over an air tube at resonance?

Matching frequencies → standing wave → larger amplitude → louder sound.

What is an easy way to remember resonance?

Matching frequency → resonance → larger amplitude → louder sound.

Where does sound generally travel fastest?

Solids → fastest; liquids → slower; gases → slowest.

What affects the speed of a wave on a string or spring?

Tension

What happens to wave speed when tension in a string increases?

Greater tension → faster wave speed.

What happens to frequency when the length of a string or tube increases?

Longer length → longer wavelength → lower frequency.

What happens to pitch when a string or tube gets shorter?

Shorter length → shorter wavelength → higher frequency → higher pitch.

Why do different musical instruments sound different even when they play the same note?

They produce different waveforms/harmonics → different timbre.

What does v stand for and what does it mean?

Velocity/speed — how fast the wave travels.

What is the unit for v?

m/s

What does d stand for and what does it mean?

Distance — how far something travels.

What is the unit for d?

m

What does lowercase t stand for and what does it mean?

Time — how long something takes.

What is the unit for lowercase t?

s

What does f stand for and what does it mean?

Frequency — how many waves pass a point each second.

What is the unit for f?

Hz

What does uppercase T stand for and what does it mean?

Period — the time for one complete wave.

What is the unit for uppercase T?

s

What does λ (lambda) stand for and what does it mean?

Wavelength — the distance between matching points on consecutive waves.