wave length
what is wavelength
the length between 2 peaks
what does mechanical waves travel through
matter
what is speed
the distance a wave can travel in a given time
what is amplitude
the height of the peak
what is frequencey
the number of complete waves in a given time
the distance between two like points on the wave
wave speed/frequency
what are 3 types of mechanical wave
sound wave, water waves, waves produced by earth quakes
Why is speed an important part when learning about waves
it directly indicates how fast a wave transfers energy through a medium
why do you measure amplitude from the middle of the wave to the top
amplitude represents the maximum displacement of a wave from its resting position
why is frequency so important
it determines the rate at which a repeating event occurs within a given time period
why do you measure wave length from the top or bottom of a peak or dip
because these are the most easily identifiable, consistent points on a wave, allowing for a precise measurement of the distance between corresponding points on consecutive waves
what is a medium in waves
the substance that a wave travels through
why does it matter if the waves or complete of not
a "complete wave" signifies a full cycle of oscillation
What does amplitude say
the maximum displacement of a wave from its equilibrium position
why is frequency measured from the middle of the wave
it's measured by counting the number of complete wave cycles (from crest to crest or trough to trough) that pass a fixed point in a given time period
why is wave length important
it explains how waves transfer energy and how they interact with the world around them
why are mechanical waves so important
they are the primary way energy is transferred through matter in our everyday lives
why is the a higher wave speed when there is a higher frequency
a higher frequency simply results in a shorter wavelength, not a faster wave speed;
why is amplitude important
it determines the amount of energy a wave carries, and how that wave interacts with other waves or is perceived
why is there a higher frequency when there is more matter
a higher frequency wave means more vibrations per second
what affects the wavelength of a wave
its frequency and the speed of the wave through the medium it travels in
what is the difference between a mechanical wave and any other type of wave
A mechanical wave is a wave that requires a physical medium (like air, water, or a solid) to travel through, while other types of waves, like electromagnetic waves, can travel through a vacuum without needing a medium
why is when the speed is slower the waves are bigger
the same amount of energy is concentrated into a smaller area, causing the wave height to increase while the wavelength decreases
What can amplitude measure?
signal strength
why is when there bigger waves there is less frequency
the relationship between wavelength and frequency is inverse - meaning that as the wavelength (size) of a wave increases, its frequency (number of waves passing a point per unit time) decreases