PHYSICS

SHEET! - WAVES

FREQUENCY AND PERIOD

Frequency = NUMBER OF WAVES PASSING A SINGLE POINT EACH SECOND. MEASURED IN Hertz (Hz)

Hertz means 'per second'.

A period (on waves sheet!) is the time taken for the wace to go from start to finish.

Period = 1/frequency

Frequency = 1/period

Wavespeed is measured in metres per second (m/s)

• Hertz has units of per second (-/s)
• Wavelengh has units of metres (m)
• MULTIPLY BOTH GIVES m/s (wavespeed)

EQUATION

WAVESPEED (m/s) = FREQUENCY (Hz) x WAVELENGH (m)

ELECTRO-MAGNETIC SPECTRUM

Highest to Lowest.

Gamma Radiation, X-Rays, Ultraviolet, Visible Light, Infrared, Microwaves, Radio waves.