General Waves
What are waves?
In science, a wave is a disturbance or variation that carries energy from one place to another.
What is a medium?
The substance that transfers the energy, or the wave from one place to another.
What is wave frequency?
The number of waves that pass a given point (in one second).
How do waves relate to sound?
Sound is produced when an object vibrates, creating a pressure wave. This pressure wave causes particles in the surrounding medium (air, water, or solid) to have vibrational motion.
What is a pendulum?
An object/bob attached to a fixed point by a string so that it can swing back and forth freely under the influence of gravity and acquired momentum.
What is a wave crest?
The highest part of a wave.
What is oscillation?
The movement back and forth, repeatedly (at a regular speed).
What is amplitude?
The distance between the wave crest/trough with its rest position.
What type of wave does a guitar string make?
Transversal wave.
What is the unit of measurement for frequency used in wave calculations?
Hz.
What is a wave trough?
The lowest part of a wave.
What is an equilibrium?
The rest position of a wave, located in the middle of the wave (horizontally).
What is wavelength?
The distance between (2) successive crests of a wave.
What is an example of a standing wave in real life?
One example of a standing wave in real life is two people shaking either end of a jump rope.
A wave has a frequency of 60 Hz and a length of 7 m. What is the speed of the wave?
F (frequency) = 60 Hz
λ (wavelength) = 7 m
V = λ x f
= 60 x 7
= 420 m/s
Name the 2 types of waves!
Transversal wave and longitudinal wave.
What is simple harmonic motion?
A periodic motion of a point along a straight line, such that its acceleration is always towards a fixed point in that line and is proportional to its distance from that point.
What is wave speed?
The distance a wave travels in a given amount of time.
What is an example of a mechanical wave in real life?
Light, sound, and waves in the ocean are common examples of waves.
A wave has a frequency of 5 Hz and a speed of 25 m/s. What is the wavelength of the wave?
F (frequency) = 5 Hz
V (wave speed) = 25 m/s
λ = v : f
= 25 : 5
= 5 m
What is a surface wave?
A seismic wave that travels along or parallel to the earth's surface.
Explain the definition of a standing wave!
A combination of waves with the same frequency and amplitude moving in opposite directions and interfere with each other.
What is wave period?
The time taken for two successive wave crest to pass at the same point.
What is an example of an electromagnetic wave in real life?
When you listen to the radio, watch TV, or cook dinner in a microwave oven, you are using electromagnetic waves.
A 3 kg pendulum is dropped from rest. If the length of the string is 10 m, what is the period of oscillation?
Mass = 3 kg
Length = 10 m
G (gravity) = 9.8 m/s2
T = 2π √L/g
= 2 x 3.14 √10/9.8
= 6.28 √1.02
= 6.28 x 1.01
= 6.34 s