Waves Review

Front

What are mechanical waves?

Back

Mechanical waves are disturbances that travel through a medium (solid, liquid, or gas) caused by a source of energy, resulting in the vibration of particles in the medium.

Front

What is a longitudinal wave?

Back

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

Front

What is wavelength?

Back

Wavelength is the distance between two corresponding points of a wave, such as crest to crest or trough to trough.

Front

What is destructive interference?

Back

Destructive interference occurs when two waves combine to produce a smaller amplitude wave or cancel each other out.

Front

How do you measure the wavelength of a transverse wave?

Back

The wavelength of a transverse wave can be measured from crest to crest or trough to trough.

Front

What is amplitude in a wave?

Back

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

Front

What is frequency?

Back

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

Front

What is the relationship between wavelength and frequency?

Back

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

Front

What is a transverse wave?

Back

A transverse wave is a type of wave in which the particles of the medium move perpendicular to the direction of the wave's travel.

Front

What is wave speed?

Back

Wave speed is the distance a wave travels in a given amount of time, calculated as speed = wavelength × frequency.