Wave behaviour

• What is wavelength?

  The distance between equivalent points on two adjacent waves
• What is the displacement of a wave?

  The distance the wave is from its equilibrium position
• What is the amplitude of a wave?

  The waves maximum displacement from its equilibrium position
• What is the frequency of a wave?

  Frequency is the number of waves that pass a point each second
• What is the unit for frequency?

  Hertz
• What is the time period of a wave?

  The time it's takes for a whole wave to pass a given point
• What is the relationship between frequency and time period?

  T=1/f
• What is the phase of a wave a measure of?

  How far through its cycle a wave is
• What does it mean if 2 waves are in phase?

  They are at the same position in their cycles

  They have a phase difference of 0
• What does it mean if 2 waves are in antiphase?

  The waves are an odd number of half wavelengths out
• What can be said about the phase difference of coherent waves?

  They have a constant phase difference
• What is a path difference?

  The difference between the distance travelled by 2 waves
• What is a standing wave?

  A wave that appears to remain in a fixed position
• What effect produces a standing wave?

  Superposition
• Describe the energy transfer in a standing wave

  Standing waves store energy-they don't transfer it from one point to another
• In the formation of a standing wave, what occurs when the two waves are in phase?

  Constructive interference occurs and an antinode is formed
• What is an antinode?

  A point of maximum displacement
• In the formation of a standing wave, what happens when 2 waves meet in antiphase?

  Destructive interference occurs and a node is formed
• What is a node?

  A point of 0 displacement
• What is always formed at the open end of a tube?

  Antinode
• What always forms at the closed end of a tube?

  Node
• What is the distance between 2 adjacent nodes equal to?

  Half the wavelength of the standing wave
• Can standing waves be formed in longitudinal waves?

  Yes, standing waves can be formed in both
• What is refraction?

  The change in speed as it changes medium, causing a change in direction
• Compare the angle of incidence and refraction for a wave passing into a less dense medium

  The angle of refraction will be larger as the wave will speed up and bend from the normal
• What is refractive index a measure of?

  The ratio of the speed of light in 2 different mediums
• What is a materials absolute refractive index?

  The ratio of speed of light in the material to the speed in a vacuum
• What is diffraction?

  The spreading out of waves as they pass through a gap
• When is diffraction at its greatest?

  When the wavelength and the gap are of the same magnitude
• What experiment supported the wave theory of light?

  Youngs double slit
• What observations were made in youngs double slit experiment?

  The light rays passing through each gap diffracted and interfered with eachother to form a series of bright and dark fringes
• How are bright fringes created in youngs double split experiment?

  The 2 waves meet in phase and constructively interfere to produce a point of maximum intensity
• How are dark fringes created in youngs double slit experiment?

  The 2 waves meet in antiphase and destructively interfere to produce a point of minimum intensity