Waves

What is a wave?

The transfer of energy and information without transfer of matter

How can waves be described?

Frequency, speed, wavelength and amplitude, period

Examples of longitudinal waves?

Seismic P waves, sound waves

Examples of transverse waves?

Waves on water surface, electromagnetic waves, seismic S waves

What do the particles in a longitudinal wave do? (What is a longitudinal wave?)

The particles move back and forth along the same direction that the wave is travelling (along)

What do the particles in a transverse wave do? (What is a transverse wave?)

The particles move at right angles to the direction the wave is travelling (across)

Evidence of waves not transferring matter - Water

A ball dropped into a pond bobs up and down, but the wave energy travels outwards as ripples across the surface of the pond

What is frequency? (Measurement)

The number of waves passing a point each second, measured in Hertz (Hz)

What is speed? (Measurement)

the rate at which an object covers distance, measured in metres per second (m/s)

What is wavelength? (Measurement)

the distance between consecutive points of the same phase on a wave e.g. crests (λ/m)

What is amplitude? (Measurement)

The distance from the centre line of a wave to the trough or crest (m)

What is the period? (Measurement) (Waves)

1/Frequency. The time it takes for one complete wave to pass a specific point. (Seconds)

What is the wave velocity/speed? (Measurement)

the speed at which a wave moves in a medium (m/s)

What is wavefront?

An imaginary surface that joins all the points of a wave that are in the same phase of vibration