Physics Paper 1 - Topic 4: Waves

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  • Created by: JS13
  • Created on: 27-11-21 18:00
What do waves do?
They transfer energy and information and not matter
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What are longitudinal waves? ( + Name some examples too)
Oscillations occur parallel to the direction of energy transfer. Comprised of compressions and rarefactions.
E.g. Sound Waves, Seismic P-waves
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What are transverse waves? ( + examples)
Oscillations occur perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer. Comprised of peaks and troughs
E.g. EM Radiation, Seismic S-waves
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What is amplitude?
The maximum displacement of a point on a wave from its undisturbed position (equilibrium line)
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What is frequency? ( + units)
The number of waves that pass a given point each second. Measured in Hertz (Hz)
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What is wave speed? ( + equation)
Frequency x Wavelength
Speed at which energy is transferred through a medium
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What are wave periods?
Length of time taken for a full wave to pass through a point
Wave period = 1/frequency
Wave period = wavelength/velocity
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What is reflection?
Waves bouncing off of a boundary. There are two types of reflections: specular or diffuse scattering.

Specular reflection: the surface is flat and smooth. All the normal lines are in the same direction, so all rays are reflected in the same direction.

D
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What is refraction?
When a wave reaches a boundary between two different media as a result of different densities, it changes speed (and direction if the wave didn't enter perpendicular to the boundary)

When light goes from a less dense material to more dense material, the
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How does human hearing work?
1) The outer ear collects the sound and the wave enters the inner ear
2) The eardrum vibrates at the same frequency
3) The ossicles amplify the wave
4) The hairs in the cochlea vibrate
5) The cochlea turns the vibrations into an electrical impulse
6) The
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What is ultrasound? ( + uses)
Soundwaves above 20kHz (20,000 Hz)
Used in foetal scanning:
1) The ultrasound is sent into the patient's body
2) As they pass through, some reflect off the bones and tissue
3) The device uses the reflections to form an image
* Doesn't damage cells
Used i
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What is infrasound? ( + uses)
Soundwaves below 20Hz
Giraffes, elephants and whales use infrasound for communication over long distances.
Humans can use them to detect earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and map rock and petroleum formations underground
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How do we use waves to learn about the earth's structure?
Seismic P-waves can travel through liquid and solids
Seismic S-waves only travel through solids
When earthquakes occur, seismometers from across the globe can pick up seismic p-waves but not seismic s-waves. This means the the earth's core must be liquid
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What are longitudinal waves? ( + Name some examples too)

Back

Oscillations occur parallel to the direction of energy transfer. Comprised of compressions and rarefactions.
E.g. Sound Waves, Seismic P-waves

Card 3

Front

What are transverse waves? ( + examples)

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What is amplitude?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What is frequency? ( + units)

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
View more cards

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