Waves 2

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Progressive Wave
A wave in which the peaks and troughs, or compressions and rarefractions, move through the medium as energy is transferred.
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Longitudinal Wave
A wave in which the medium is displaced in the same line as the direction of energy transfer - oscillations of the medium particles are parallel to the direction of wave travel.
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Transverse Wave
A wave in which the medium is displaced perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer. The oscillations of medium particles are perpendicular to the direction of wave travel.
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S - Waves
Secondary waves: transverse waves that travel through the Earth from an earthquake.
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P - Waves
Primary waves: longitudinal waves that travel through the Earth from an earthquake.
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Displacement
Distance from the equilibrium position in a particular direction; a vector, so either positive or negative.
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Amplitude
The maximum displacement from the equilibrium position (positive or negative).
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Wavelength
The minimum distance between two points in phase on adjacent waves, for example, the distance from one peak to the next or one compression to the next.
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Phase Difference
The difference between the displacement of particles along a wave, or the difference in displacement of particles on different waves, measured in degrees or radians, with each complete cycle or a difference of one wavelength representing 360 degrees.
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In Phase
Particles oscillating perfectly in time with each other (reaching their maximum positive displacement at the same time).
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Out of Phase
Particles that are neither in phase nor in antiphase.
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Antiphase
Particles oscillating completely out of step with each other (one maximum positive displacement when the other is maximum negative displacement).
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Wave Profile
A graph showing the displacement of the particle in the wave against the distance along the wave.
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Period
The time taken for one complete wavelength to pass a given point.
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Frequency
The number of wavelengths passing a given point per unit time.
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Wave Speed
The distance travelled by the wave per unit time.
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Timebase
The time interval represented by one horizontal square on an oscilloscope screen.
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Oscilloscope
An instrument that displays an electrical signal as a voltage against time trace on a screen.
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The Law of Reflection
The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.
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Reflection
The change in direction of a wave at a boundary between two different media, so that the wave remains in the original medium.
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Refraction
The change in direction of a wave as it changes speed when passing from one medium to another.
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Rarefraction
A moving region in which the medium is less dense or has less pressure than the surrounding medium (longitudinal waves).
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Compression
A moving region in which the medium is denser or has higher pressure than the surrounding medium (longitudinal waves).
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Diffraction
A phenomenon in which waves passing through a gap or around an obstical spread out.
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Polarisation
The phenomenon in which oscillations of transverse waves are limited to only one plane.
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Angle of Incidence
The angle between the direction of travel of an incident wave and the normal at the boundary between two media.
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Intensity
The radiant power passing through a surface per unit area.
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Electromagnetic Spectrum
The full range of frequencies of electromagnetic waves, from gamma waves to radio waves.
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Electromagnetic Wave
Transverse waves with oscillating electric and magnetic field components such as light and x-rays. They do not need a medium to propagate and travel at the speed of light 3x10^8 ms^-1 in a vacuum.
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Angle of Reflection
The angle between the direction of travel of a reflected wave and the normal at a boundary between two media.
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Critical Angle
The angle of incidence between the boundary of two media that will produce an angle of refraction of 90 degrees.
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Wavefront
A line of points in phase with each other in a wave, perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer.
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Partially Polarised
A transverse wave in which there are more oscillations in one particular plane, but the wave is not completely plane polarised - occurs when transverse waves reflected off a surface.
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Refractive Index
The refractive index of a material n=c/v where c is the speed of light through a vacuum and v is the speed of light through the material.
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Total Internal Reflection
Reflection of all light hitting a boundary between two media back into the original medium when the light is travelling through the medium with the higher refractive index and the incidence angle at the boundary is greater than the critical angle.
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Optical Fibre
A fibre made of glass designed with a varying refractive index in order to totally internally reflect pulses of visible light or infrared light travelling through it.
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Ray
A line representing the direction of energy transfer of a wave, perpendicular to the wavefronts.
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Principle of Superposition of Waves
When two waves that meet at a point interact, the resultant displacement at that point is equal to the sum of the displacements of the individual waves.
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Superposition
Overlap of two waves at a point in space.
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Constructive Interference
Superposition of two waves in phase so that the resultant wave has a greater amplitude than the original wave.
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Destructive Interference
Superposition of two waves in antiphase so that the waves cancel each other out and the resultant wave has a smaller amplitude than the original waves.
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Interference
Superposition of two progressive waves from coherent sources to produce a resultant wave with a displacement equal to the sum of the individual displacements from the two waves.
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Coherence
Two wave sources, or waves, that are coherent have constant phase difference.
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Path Difference
The difference in the distance travelled by two waves form the source to a specific point.
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Maximum
The point of greatest amplitude in an interference pattern, produced by constructive interference.
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Minimum
The point of least amplitude in an interference pattern, produced by destructive interference.
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Interference Pattern
A pattern of constructive and destructive interference formed as waves overlap.
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Monochromatic Light
Light of a single frequency.
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Standing Wave
A wave that remains in a constant position with no net transfer of energy and is characterised by its nodes and antinodes, also called a stationary wave.
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Node
For a stationary wave, a point where the amplitude is always zero.
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Antinode
For a stationary wave, a point where the maximum amplitude can occur.
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Fundemental Frequency
The lowest frequency at which an object (e.g. an air colum in a pipe or string fixed at both ends) can vibrate, f0.
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Harmonic
A whole-number multiple of the fundemental frequency.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

A wave in which the medium is displaced in the same line as the direction of energy transfer - oscillations of the medium particles are parallel to the direction of wave travel.

Back

Longitudinal Wave

Card 3

Front

A wave in which the medium is displaced perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer. The oscillations of medium particles are perpendicular to the direction of wave travel.

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

Secondary waves: transverse waves that travel through the Earth from an earthquake.

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

Primary waves: longitudinal waves that travel through the Earth from an earthquake.

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
View more cards

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