Waves
Name at least five components of a wave.
Possible answers are crest, trough, amplitude, wavelength, frequency, wave period, and wave speed.
What is the formula to find the distance of a wave?
distance = time x speed.
Find the distance of a wave if it travels in 5 seconds at a speed of 10 m/s.
5s x 10 m/s = 50 m.
A pendulum is a suspended body from a fixed point that …?
Oscillates.
Name one similarity and one difference between an ocean and a sound wave.
Possible answers: Sound waves are longitudinal, ocean waves are transverse, but both are mechanical waves.
What is the substance that a wave can propagate through?
A medium.
What is the formula to find the velocity of a wave?
distance/time and wavelength x frequency.
Find the velocity of a wave if it’s traveling 17 meters every 23 seconds.
v = 0.739 m/s
The shorter the pendulum, the lower the frequency. True or false?
False.
What is the relationship between a volcano eruption and waves?
Violent volcanic eruptions can cause impulsive disturbances, like generating destructive tsunami waves (seismic waves).
What are surface waves?
Surface waves are mechanical waves with particles traveling in a circular motion that usually occur at interfaces between two different media, like water ripples.
There are two formulas to find the period of a wave, what are they?
1/f and wavelength/wave speed.
If T = 1/f, then what’s the period of a wave with the frequency of 33 Hz?
T = 0.0303 seconds.
In a pendulum, will the mass of the bob affect the results in any way?
No, the mass of the bob does not affect anything.
What types of waves does a sailing motor boat produce and how?
They produce transverse waves which are formed on the surface of water and longitudinal waves which are produced due to vibration of the rudder.
Are electromagnetic waves longitudinal or transverse waves?
Electromagnetic waves are transverse waves.
There are two formulas to find the frequency of a wave, what are they?
Speed/wavelength and 1/T.
A wave travels 25 meters along the pool in 10 seconds. Can you find the frequency?
No, this wave is incomplete. You would need to know the wavelength or other additional information to get the frequency.
What is the relationship between a pendulum and the equilibrium state?
The equilibrium state is the resting state of a pendulum (hanging straight down). When a pendulum is displaced from its equilibrium point, the restoring force (gravity) brings it back to the center.
How is the motion of planets around the sun an example of harmonic motion?
The motion of planets around the sun can be considered an example of harmonic motion because it involves a restoring force that is proportional to the displacement of the planet from its equilibrium position.
Why can’t mechanical waves transfer energy through a vacuum?
Because it requires a medium to do so.
Name one independent and one dependent variable in the following formula: T =2πLg
Independent: L (length)
Dependent: T (period)
The length of the pendulum is 3 meters and uses the gravity of a moon (1.62 m/s²), what is the period of the wave?
T = 2π√(3/1.62)
T = 2π√(1.85)
T = 2π(1.36)
T ≈ 8.54 seconds
Explain how a metronome can be used as an analogy of a pendulum wave.
A metronome and pendulum wave can both be used to measure time. Just like how a pendulum swings back and forth, a metronome swings from side to side, marking the passage of time.
Explain how roller coasters can be used as an analogy of a wave.
Roller coasters can have really high rails and really low rails, just like how a wave can have high peaks and troughs.