General properties of waves
18 flashcards to master General properties of waves
Smart Spaced Repetition
Rate each card Hard, Okay, or Easy after flipping. Your progress is saved and cards are scheduled for optimal review intervals.
State what is transferred by all types of waves, and what is *not* transferred.
Waves transfer energy. Waves do *not* transfer matter.
A student shakes one end of a long rope. They observe a wave traveling down the rope. Explain why this demonstrates that waves transfer energy but not matter.
The wave travels down the rope carrying energy from the student's hand. The particles of the rope vibrate (move up and down or side to side) but do not travel along the rope with the wave. Thus, energy is transferred, but matter is not.
A student vibrates one end of a long spring back and forth with a frequency of 2.0 Hz. This creates a wave that travels down the spring at a speed of 4.0 m/s. Calculate the wavelength of the wave produced.
Formula: wave speed (v) = frequency (f) x wavelength (λ)
Rearrange to find wavelength: λ = v / f
λ = 4.0 m/s / 2.0 Hz
λ = 2.0 m
Answer: The wavelength of the wave is 2.0 meters. Wave speed is the product of frequency and wavelength, therefore dividing speed by frequency gives wavelength.
Describe how the movement of a single point on a rope demonstrates wave motion when a wave travels along the rope. Assume the wave is moving horizontally from left to right.
As the wave passes, a point on the rope oscillates (moves up and down/vibrates) vertically. It does *not* travel horizontally with the wave. The point returns to its original position after the wave has passed. The energy of the wave is what travels horizontally, not the particles of the medium.
A wave has a frequency of 2.0 Hz and a wavelength of 1.3 m. Calculate the speed of the wave.
Wave speed (v) = frequency (f) x wavelength (λ)
v = 2.0 Hz x 1.3 m
v = 2.6 m/s
The wave speed is calculated by multiplying the frequency and wavelength.
Describe the difference between the crest and trough of a wave.
The crest is the highest point of the wave above the equilibrium position, while the trough is the lowest point of the wave below the equilibrium position. They represent the points of maximum positive and negative displacement, respectively.
A wave has a frequency of 5 Hz and a wavelength of 1.2 m. Calculate the speed of the wave.
v = fλ
v = 5 Hz * 1.2 m
v = 6.0 m/s
The speed of the wave is calculated by multiplying its frequency (number of waves per second) by its wavelength (the length of one complete wave).
A water wave travels at 2.0 m/s and has a wavelength of 0.4 m. Determine the frequency of the wave.
v = fλ => f = v/λ
f = 2.0 m/s / 0.4 m
f = 5.0 Hz
The frequency is calculated by rearranging the wave speed equation and dividing the wave speed by its wavelength.
A water wave travels across a lake. A small cork on the surface of the water bobs up and down. If the wave travels 4.0 meters in 2 seconds and the cork bobs up and down 3 times in those 2 seconds, calculate the wavelength of the water wave.
Formula: wave speed (v) = frequency (f) x wavelength (λ)
1. Calculate frequency: f = number of oscillations / time = 3 / 2 = 1.5 Hz
2. Calculate wave speed: v = distance / time = 4.0 m / 2 s = 2.0 m/s
3. Rearrange formula: λ = v / f
4. Substitute values: λ = 2.0 m/s / 1.5 Hz = 1.33 m
Answer: The wavelength of the water wave is 1.33 m. This calculation relies on understanding that water waves are transverse and the frequency relates to how often the cork moves up/down.
State three examples of waves that can be modelled as transverse waves.
1. Electromagnetic radiation (e.g. light, radio waves)
2. Water waves
3. Seismic S-waves (secondary waves)
Explanation: Transverse waves have vibrations perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer. Each of these examples exhibits this property and therefore can be modelled as such.
A seismic P-wave travels through the Earth at a speed of 8000 m/s. Two monitoring stations, A and B, are 40 km apart. If the P-wave is longitudinal, calculate the time difference between the arrival of the wave at station A and station B. Give your answer in seconds.
Time = Distance / Speed
Distance = 40 km = 40000 m
Time = 40000 m / 8000 m/s = 5 s
Explanation: P-waves are longitudinal, meaning the vibration of the particles is parallel to the direction of wave propagation. This question tests your ability to relate speed, distance and time.
State two features that are common to both sound waves in air and seismic P-waves in rock.
1. Both are longitudinal waves, meaning the direction of vibration is parallel to the direction of propagation.
2. Both transfer energy through a medium via compressions and rarefactions. They both require a medium to travel through (cannot travel through a vacuum).
Explanation: This question tests your understanding of the fundamental properties of longitudinal waves.
A water wave in a ripple tank travels from deep water to shallow water. The speed of the wave changes from 0.3 m/s to 0.2 m/s. Describe what happens to the wave as it enters the shallow water, considering both its speed and direction.
As the water wave enters the shallow water, it refracts because the speed of the wave decreases from 0.3 m/s to 0.2 m/s. Refraction is the change in direction of a wave due to a change in speed. The wavelength also decreases, but the frequency remains constant.
A wave approaches a barrier with a narrow gap. State two factors that affect the amount of diffraction of the wave as it passes through the gap.
1. Wavelength of the wave: The longer the wavelength, the greater the diffraction. 2. Width of the gap: The narrower the gap (compared to the wavelength), the greater the diffraction.
Describe how a ripple tank can be used to demonstrate the reflection of water waves at a plane surface. Include a diagram in your description.
Diagram should show:
1. A ripple tank with a barrier placed at an angle.
2. Incident waves approaching the barrier.
3. Reflected waves leaving the barrier at an equal angle (angle of incidence equals angle of reflection).
Description should mention:
1. Waves generated by the dipper travel towards the barrier.
2. When the waves hit the barrier, they bounce back (are reflected).
3. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.
This can be measured using a stroboscope to freeze the motion of the waves and a ruler to measure the angles.
State two observations you would make in a ripple tank experiment that indicate refraction is occurring as water waves pass from a region of deep water to a region of shallow water.
1. The wavelength of the waves decreases as they enter the shallow water.
2. The speed of the waves decreases as they enter the shallow water.
Explanation: Refraction occurs because the speed of the wave changes as it moves from deep to shallow water. Since frequency stays constant, a change in speed implies a change in wavelength.
A water wave with a wavelength of 4.0 cm approaches a gap of width 2.0 cm. The wave then approaches a different gap of width 8.0 cm. Describe how the diffraction of the wave differs in each case.
Smaller gap (2.0 cm): Significant diffraction occurs as the gap size is smaller than or approximately equal to the wavelength. The wavefronts will spread out significantly after passing through the gap.
Larger gap (8.0 cm): Less diffraction occurs because the gap size is significantly larger than the wavelength. The wavefronts will pass through the gap with less spreading.
State two factors that influence the amount of diffraction that occurs when a wave passes through a gap.
1. Wavelength of the wave.
2. Width of the gap.
Key Questions: General properties of waves
State what is transferred by all types of waves, and what is *not* transferred.
Waves transfer energy. Waves do *not* transfer matter.
About General properties of waves (3.1)
These 18 flashcards cover everything you need to know about General properties of waves for your Cambridge IGCSE Physics (0625) exam. Each card is designed based on the official syllabus requirements.
What You'll Learn
- 1 Definitions - Key terms and their precise meanings that examiners expect
How to Study Effectively
Use the Study Mode button above to test yourself one card at a time. Try to answer each question before flipping the card. Review cards you find difficult more frequently.
Continue Learning
After mastering General properties of waves, explore these related topics:
- 2.3.4 Consequences of thermal energy transfer - 4 flashcards
- 3.2.1 Reflection of light - 8 flashcards
Study Mode
Space to flip • ←→ to navigate • Esc to close
You're on a roll!
You've viewed 10 topics today
Create a free account to unlock unlimited access to all revision notes, flashcards, and study materials.
You're all set!
Enjoy unlimited access to all study materials.
Something went wrong. Please try again.
What you'll get:
- Unlimited revision notes & flashcards
- Track your study progress
- No spam, just study updates