Intro to Properties of Waves

Front

What is a wave?

Back

A wave is a disturbance that transfers energy from one place to another without transferring matter.

Front

What is amplitude in a wave?

Back

Amplitude is the maximum distance that the particles of a medium move from their rest position when a wave passes through.

Front

How does amplitude affect the energy of a wave?

Back

The energy carried by a wave is directly proportional to the square of its amplitude. Higher amplitude means more energy.

Front

What is frequency in the context of waves?

Back

Frequency is the number of waves that pass a given point in one second, measured in Hertz (Hz).

Front

What is wavelength?

Back

Wavelength is the distance between two consecutive points that are in phase on a wave, such as crest to crest or trough to trough.

Front

What is the relationship between frequency and wavelength?

Back

Frequency and wavelength are inversely related; as frequency increases, wavelength decreases, and vice versa.

Front

What type of wave is created by shaking a rope up and down?

Back

This creates a transverse wave, where the motion of the medium is perpendicular to the direction of the wave.

Front

What is a longitudinal wave?

Back

A longitudinal wave is a wave in which the particles of the medium move parallel to the direction of the wave's travel.

Front

What is the speed of a wave?

Back

The speed of a wave is the distance traveled by a wave in a given amount of time, calculated as speed = wavelength × frequency.

Front

What happens to a wave when it enters a new medium?

Back

When a wave enters a new medium, it can change speed, direction, and wavelength, which can lead to refraction.