Waves

Question 1

What is a wave?

Answer 1

A disturbance that travels through a space or a medium, transferring energy without moving matter permanently

Question 2

What is a disturbance?

Answer 2

• A vibration or oscillation that moves away from its source

Question 3

What is a medium?

Answer 3

• The material through which a mechanical wave travels

Question 4

What is a mechanical wave?

Answer 4

• Waves that require a medium to travel through

Question 5

What are electromagnetic waves?

Answer 5

• Waves of oscillating electric and magnetic fields that do not require a medium
• Light, radio, X-rays

Question 6

What are transverse waves?

Answer 6

Motion of the particles is perpendicular to the direction the wave travels

Question 7

What are longitudinal waves?

Answer 7

Motion of the particles is parallel to the direction the wave travels

Question 8

What are crests and troughs?

Answer 8

• Higher point of a transverse wave
• Lowest point of a transverse wave

Question 9

What is a pulse?

Answer 9

A single disturbance that travels through a medium

Question 10

What is a phase?

Answer 10

A position of a point in its cycle of motion

Question 11

Is what a superposition?

Answer 11

When two or more waves overlap

Question 11

What does it mean for points on a wave to be “in phase”?

Answer 11

Two points that are in the same position in their cycle at the same time.

Question 12

What is constructive interference?

Answer 12

When waves combine to produce a larger amplitude

Question 13

What is destructive interference?

Answer 13

When waves combine to produce a smaller amplitude

Question 14

What is a node and antinode?

Answer 14

• Displacement of 0 on a standing wave
• Maximum displacement on a standing wave

Question 15

What is resonance catastrophe?

Answer 15

When resonance causes vibrations so large that a structure breaks or collapses

Question 16

What is a standing wave?

Answer 16

• A wave pattern formed by the interference of two waves of equal frequency and amplitude traveling in opposite directions

Question 17

What determines the speed of a wave in general?

Answer 17

The medium

Question 18

What is the equation for wave speed on a string?

Answer 18

√(T/𝜇)
T = tension
𝜇 = Mass per unit length

Question 19

How do elasticity and mass affect a wave?

Answer 19

• Stiffer means a faster wave
• Higher mass density means a slower wave

Question 20

What is the relationship between wavelength and velocity?

Answer 20

• Higher velocity means a higher wavelength

Question 21

Where/What conditions do sound waves move faster in?

Answer 21

• Hotter air
• Solids > Liquids > Gases

Question 22

How does frequency affect pitch?

Answer 22

• higher frequency is higher pitch