PHYSICS - midterm

• What are the two types of waves?

  Transverse and longitudinal
• How are oscillations oriented in a transverse wave?

  Perpendicular to energy transfer direction
• How are oscillations oriented in a longitudinal wave?

  Parallel to energy transfer direction
• What do longitudinal waves show?

  Areas of compression and rarefaction
• What type of wave are sound waves in air?

  Longitudinal waves
• What evidence shows that waves travel and not the medium itself?

  • Ripples move across water without water moving
  • Sound travels through air without air moving
• What are the four characteristics used to describe waves?

  Amplitude, wavelength, frequency, period
• What is the amplitude of a wave?

  Maximum displacement from undisturbed position
• How is wavelength defined?

  Distance from one wave point to equivalent point
• What does frequency measure in waves?

  Number of waves passing a point each second
• What is the period of a wave?

  Time taken for one wave to pass a point
• What is the formula for wave speed?

  Wave speed = frequency x wavelength
• What are the units for wave speed, frequency, and wavelength?

  m/s, Hz, m
• What happens to waves at the boundary of different materials?

  They can be reflected, absorbed, or transmitted
• How do you construct ray diagrams for a plane mirror?

  • Draw incident ray towards the mirror
  • Draw reflected ray at equal angle
  • Locate the image behind the mirror
• What are the properties of the image in a plane mirror?

  • Image is virtual
  • Image is upright
  • Image is same size as object
  • Image is laterally inverted
• How do you illustrate the refraction of a wave?

  • Draw incident ray approaching boundary
  • Show refracted ray bending at boundary
  • Indicate change in speed and direction
• When does refraction not occur?

  When a wave enters at 90° to the surface
• What is the relationship between period and frequency?

  Period is the inverse of frequency
• How is the period of a wave calculated?

  Period = 1 / frequency
• What is the unit of period?

  Seconds (s)
• What does the wave equation represent?

  Relationship between wave speed, frequency, and wavelength