Waves Activity Practice Quiz

A wave is a disturbance that travels through space or a medium, carrying energy without transferring matter. This basic definition is foundational in understanding all wave phenomena.

Sound waves are mechanical because they require a medium such as air or water to propagate. In contrast, electromagnetic waves can travel through a vacuum.

Amplitude measures the maximum displacement of a wave from its equilibrium position. It is directly related to the energy carried by the wave.

Wavelength is defined as the distance between two consecutive points that are in phase, such as crest to crest. This property helps determine the overall spatial period of the wave.

Frequency measures how many complete wave cycles pass a given point in one second, typically measured in Hertz (Hz). This concept is key to understanding energy and timing in waves.

Wave speed is determined using the equation v = f × λ, where f is frequency and λ is wavelength. This relationship connects temporal and spatial wave properties.

The period (T) of a wave, which is the time for one complete cycle, is the reciprocal of the frequency (f). Understanding this inverse relationship is fundamental in wave studies.

Constructive interference occurs when two waves meet in phase, meaning their crests and troughs align. This increases the resultant amplitude, reinforcing the overall wave effect.

Diffraction is the process where waves bend around obstacles or spread out through openings. This behavior is more pronounced when the size of the obstacle is comparable to the wavelength.

A prism separates white light into its component colors through refraction. Different wavelengths of light bend at slightly different angles, resulting in dispersion.

When a wave reflects off a fixed end, it undergoes an inversion, meaning the crest becomes a trough and vice versa. This phase change is a characteristic property of waves encountering a rigid boundary.

Electromagnetic waves can travel through a vacuum because they do not depend on a medium. This property distinguishes them from mechanical waves like sound or water waves.

When two identical waves travel in opposite directions, their interference pattern can result in a standing wave. Standing waves appear to be stationary because of the fixed nodes in the pattern.

Since the wave speed is constant, increasing the frequency means the wavelength must decrease in order to satisfy the equation v = f × λ. This inverse relationship is key to wave behavior.

The key distinction between these wave types is the direction of particle oscillation relative to the wave's motion. Transverse waves vibrate at right angles to the direction of travel, whereas longitudinal waves oscillate in the same direction as propagation.

Destructive interference occurs when the crest of one wave aligns with the trough of another, effectively cancelling each other out. This requires the waves to be out of phase by 180° or half a wavelength.

When a wave source approaches an observer, the wavefronts are compressed, which leads to an increase in the observed frequency. This phenomenon is known as the Doppler effect.

For a string fixed at both ends, the fundamental mode forms when half a wavelength fits into the length of the string (L = ½λ), which means the full wavelength is 2L. This basic property is key in understanding harmonics on a string.

When light enters a denser medium such as water from air, its speed decreases. This decrease in speed causes the light to bend toward the normal, a hallmark of refraction.

In wave motion, energy is transmitted through the medium even though the individual particles only oscillate around their equilibrium positions. This concept underscores the idea that while energy moves, matter mostly remains in place.