🌊 WAVE BASICS
Which type of wave requires a medium?
Mechanical wave
Why can’t sound travel in space?
No medium
Which waves can travel through a vacuum?
Electromagnetic waves
What is the relationship between frequency and wavelength?
Inverse relationship
What happens to pitch when a source moves toward you?
Pitch increases
What direction does a longitudinal wave travel?
Back and forth (Think of slinky or sound wave)
What happens to pitch as frequency increases?
Pitch increases
Which EM waves have the MOST energy?
Gamma rays
If frequency doubles (wavelength stays same), what happens to speed?
Speed doubles
What happens to wavelength when a source moves away?
Wavelength increases
Which property decreases as wave energy increases?
Wavelength
Where does sound travel fastest?
Solids
What happens to energy when wavelength increases?
Energy decreases
What happens to wavelength when energy increases?
Wavelength decreases
What happens to frequency when a source moves away?
Frequency decreases
Which wave phenomenon is shown when light passes through a prism?
Refraction
How does temperature affect sound speed?
Higher temp → faster sound
Which EM waves have the longest wavelength?
Radio waves
When amplitude increases, what happens to energy?
Energy increases
Who hears a higher pitch: approaching or receding observer?
Approaching observer
A wave has low frequency and long wavelength.
What can you conclude about its energy?
It has low energy
A sound wave travels from air into water.
What happens to:
A wave’s amplitude doubles.
What happens to its energy?
Energy quadruples
A car passes an observer at constant speed.
Describe what happens to the pitch BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER it passes.
Before: High pitch (approaching)
During: Sudden change
After: Lower pitch (moving away)
A scientist observes a wave with:
What type of wave is this MOST likely to be?
Electromagnetic wave (like gamma or X-ray)