OCR B Advancing Physics C6 definitions

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  • Created by: Ellen
  • Created on: 02-04-13 15:32
Amplitude
The maximum displacement from the equilibrium point. It is an indication of how much energy the wave is carrying.
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Frequency
The number of wave vibrations passing a point in one second.
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Wavelength
The length of one whole wave from corresponding points, i.e crest to crest
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Wavespeed
How fast a point on the wave pattern is moving
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Travelling wave
A wave that travels
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Interference
When two or more waves combine and produce a resultant amplitude
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Standing waves
The superposition of two travelling waves with the same wavelength travelling in opposite directions
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Path difference
The amount by which the path traveled by one wave is longer than the path traveled by another
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Superposition
When two or more waves cross, the resultant displacement is equal to the vector sum of individual displacements
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Transmission
A wave travels through a material instead of being reflected
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Reflection
The wave is bounced back when it hits a boundary
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Refraction
The wave changes direction as it enters a different medium due to a change in speed
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Diffraction
The way waves spread out as they come through a narrow gap or round an obstacle
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Dispersion
Splitting a beam of white light into colours using diffraction
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Phase
The point in the cycle that the wave is at
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Phase difference
The amount one wave lags behind another wave
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Oscillation
One complete wave cycle
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Coherence
When waves have a constant unchanging phase difference
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

The number of wave vibrations passing a point in one second.

Back

Frequency

Card 3

Front

The length of one whole wave from corresponding points, i.e crest to crest

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

How fast a point on the wave pattern is moving

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

A wave that travels

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
View more cards

Comments

Iridann

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Thanks, pretty useful light revision!

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