Wave Basics

• What do waves transfer from one place to another?

  Energy
• What happens when light waves pass from a phone screen to your eye?

  Only energy is transferred
• How does our brain interpret energy from waves?

  It builds images and tunes
• What is the distance in a displacement-distance graph?

  How far the wave has traveled
• What is the maximum displacement of a wave called?

  Amplitude
• What is the wavelength of a wave?

  Distance of one entire oscillation
• What is the opposite of the crest in a wave?

  Trough
• What does a displacement-time graph show?

  Time on the x-axis instead of distance
• What is the time period of a wave?

  Time for one complete oscillation
• How do you calculate frequency from the time period?

  Frequency = 1 / time period
• If the time period is 0.5 seconds, what is the frequency?

  2 Hz
• If the frequency is 4 Hz, what is the time period?

  0.25 seconds
• How do you calculate wave speed?

  Wave speed = wavelength × frequency
• What is the wave speed of a sound wave with a frequency of 400 Hz and wavelength of 70 cm?

  280 m/s
• What is the unit for measuring frequency?

  Hertz
• What are the characteristics of transverse waves?

  Oscillations are perpendicular to energy transfer
• What are examples of transverse waves?

  Light waves, water waves, guitar strings
• How do longitudinal waves oscillate?

  Oscillations are parallel to energy transfer
• What are examples of longitudinal waves?

  Sound waves, seismic P waves
• What are the differences between transverse and longitudinal waves?

  • Transverse waves: oscillations perpendicular to energy transfer
  • Longitudinal waves: oscillations parallel to energy transfer
• What is the relationship between wavelength, frequency, and wave speed?

  • Wave speed = wavelength × frequency
  • Wavelength: distance of one oscillation
  • Frequency: number of oscillations per second
• How does the brain interpret wave energy?

  • Converts energy into images and sounds
  • Enables perception of the environment