Waves

• Mechanical Wave


  A type of wave that requires a physical medium to transmit energy and vibrations, characterized by transverse motion, amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and speed.
• Electromagnetic Wave


  A type of wave that does not require a physical medium, characterized by transverse motion, electric and magnetic fields, a wide range of frequencies, and a constant speed of light.
• Electromagnetic Spectrum


  A range of frequencies, from low-frequency radio waves to high-frequency gamma rays, of electromagnetic waves.
• Longitudinal Waves


  Waves whose disturbance moves particles parallel to the direction of travel
• Transverse Waves


  Waves whose disturbance moves particles perpendicular to the direction of travel
• Sound Waves

  • mechanical -> longitudinal wave
  • travels through solids faster (regarding the densely packed particles)
  • higher amplitude = higher volume
  • higher frequency = higher pitch
• Amplitude


  The maximum displacement of a wave from its equilibrium position
• Wavelength


  The distance between two identical points on consecutive waves (can either be the crest or trough)
• Frequency


  • number of waves that pass through a point in one second (measured in waves per second/Hertz(Hz))
• Period


  • (in displacement-time graphs) Time taken to complete a full wave cycle

  • Measured in seconds
• Wave Speed


  • measured in m/s

  • V = wavelength * frequency
• Convex Lens


  • Converges light; bends light towards a principal focus

  
• Concave Lens


  • Diverges (disperses) reflected light of an object

  • Has a virtual focus because no light rays hit that focus (it is behind the mirror)

  
• EM Spectrum

  R - radio

  M - microwave

  I - infrared

  V - visible

  U - ultraviolet

  X - X-ray

  G - gamma
• Refraction

  *refractive index:

  air = 1.00

  water = 1.33

  glass = 1.52

  • low -> high density medium; light bends more towards the normal and slows down
  • high -> low density medium: light bends more away from the normal and speeds up