A wave's maximum displacement from its equilibrium position
Amplitude
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A position of maximum displacement in a stationary wave
Antinodes
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Waves with the same frequency and constant phase difference
Coherence
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The type of interference that occurs when two waves meet in phase. The wave amplitudes are superposed
Constructive interference
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The angle of incidence that results in an angle of refraction of exactly 90°. It is when the refracted ray travels along the boundary line
Critical angle
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The type of interference that occurs when the two waves are in antiphase. When one wave is at a peak and one is at a trough their addition results in a minimum point
Destructive interference
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The spreading of waves as they pass through a gap of a similar magnitude to their wavelength
Diffraction
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The distance that a point on a wave is from its equilibrium position
Displacement
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The spectrum of electromagnetic waves, consisting of Gamma rays, X rays, Ultraviolet, Visible light, Infrared, Microwaves and Radiowaves
Electromagnetic spectrum
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Waves that consist of perpendicular electric and magnetic oscillations. All electromagnetic waves travel at the speed of light in a vacuum
Electromagnetic waves
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The number of waves that pass a point in a unit time period. It is the inverse of the time period
Frequency
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The oscillation of a wave at its natural frequency
Fundamental mode of vibration
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The power transferred per unit area. It is proportional to the square of a wave's amplitude
Intensity
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The superposition of the amplitudes of waves when they meet
Interference
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A wave with oscillations that are parallel to the direction of energy propagation. Sound waves are an example of a longitudinal wave. They cannot travel through a vacuum
Longitudinal waves
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A position of minimum displacement in a stationary wave
Nodes
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A device used to display and analyse waveforms
Oscilloscope
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A measure of how far ahead a wave is compared to another wave, usually expressed in terms of the wavelength
Path difference
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The time taken for a wave to complete one full cycle
Period
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The difference in phase between two points on a wave. It is usually expressed in radians
Phase difference
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The restriction of a wave so that it can only oscillate in a single plane. This can only occur for transverse waves
Polarisation
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Waves that transfer energy from one point to another without a transfer of matter
Progressive waves
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The bouncing of a wave at a boundary. The angle of incidence will equal to the angle of reflection
Reflection
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The changing of speed of a wave as it passes into a new medium. If it passes into an optically denser medium, it will slow down.
Refraction
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A material property that is equal to the ratio between the speed of light in a vacuum, and the speed of light in a given material
Refractive index
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A wave that stores, but does not transfer energy
Stationary wave
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When two waves meet at the same point in space their displacements combine and the total displacement at that point becomes the sum of the individual displacements at that point
Superposition
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An effect that occurs in optical fibres, where full reflection occurs at the inside boundary of the fibre, meaning no radiation passes out. The angle of incidence must be greater than the critical angle for this to occur
Total internal reflection
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A wave with oscillations that are perpendicular to the direction of energy propagation. Electromagnetic waves are examples of transverse waves
Transverse waves
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The product of a wave's frequency and wavelength
Wave speed
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The distance between two identical positions on two adjacent waves. It is commonly measured from peak to peak or trough to trough
Wavelength
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An experiment that demonstrates the diffraction of light by passing monochromatic light across two narrow slits and observing the resulting pattern of bright and dark fringes
Young double-slit experiment
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Other cards in this set
Card 2
Front
A position of maximum displacement in a stationary wave
Back
Antinodes
Card 3
Front
Waves with the same frequency and constant phase difference
Back
Card 4
Front
The type of interference that occurs when two waves meet in phase. The wave amplitudes are superposed
Back
Card 5
Front
The angle of incidence that results in an angle of refraction of exactly 90°. It is when the refracted ray travels along the boundary line
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