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Define 'periodic wave'.
A wave that repeats its pattern over and over again, characterized by wavelength, period, frequency, and amplitude.
What is the period (T) of a wave?
The time it takes for one complete wave cycle.
Define frequency (f) and its unit.
The number of wave cycles that happen in one second, measured in Hertz (Hz).
What is wavelength (λ)?
The distance between two identical points on a wave (e.g., crest to crest).
Define amplitude (A) of a wave.
The maximum displacement of the wave from its resting position.
What is angular frequency (ω)?
Angular frequency (ω) is a measure of how quickly the oscillations are occurring, expressed in radians per second. It's related to frequency (f) and period (T) by the equations: ω = 2πf = 2π/T
Label the parts of a transverse wave.
1: Crest, 2: Trough, 3: Wavelength, 4: Amplitude
Identify the amplitude (A) and wavelength (λ) on a wave graph.
Amplitude: The vertical distance from the resting position to the crest or trough. Wavelength: The horizontal distance between two consecutive crests or troughs.
On a graph of displacement vs. time for a wave, what does the period represent?
The period (T) is the time it takes for one complete cycle of the wave, measured along the time axis.
On a graph of displacement vs. position for a wave, what does the wavelength represent?
The wavelength (λ) is the distance between two consecutive identical points on the wave (e.g., crest to crest), measured along the position axis.
Given a wave graph, how do you determine the frequency?
1. Find the period (T) from the graph. 2. Calculate the frequency using the formula: $f = \frac{1}{T}$
What is the effect of increasing the frequency of a wave, while keeping the speed constant?
The wavelength decreases (since v = fλ).
What happens to the wave speed if the medium changes?
The wave speed changes; it depends on the properties of the medium.
What is the effect of doubling the amplitude of a wave?
The energy of the wave quadruples (energy is proportional to the square of the amplitude).
What is the effect of increasing the tension in a string on the speed of a transverse wave?
The speed of the wave increases.
What happens to the frequency of a wave if the source moves towards the observer (Doppler effect)?
The observed frequency increases.