What all Waves are produced by
A vibrating object
Wave Direction
Direction of energy travel
A Low Amplitude Wave
A Small Wave
A High Amplitude Wave
A Big Wave
What Waves transfer
Energy
Transverse Waves
Waves where the particles of the medium oscillate at perpendicular to the direction of the Wave itself
Longitudinal Waves
Waves where the particles of the medium oscillate parallel to the direction of the Wave itself
An example of a Transverse Wave
Water Waves
Wavelength
The distance between any two adjacent crests or troughs, measured in meters (m)
Amplitude
The distance between the Line of Zero Disturbance and the top of a crest or bottom of a trough
Frequency
The number of whole waves made in one second, measured in Hertz (Hz)
f=N/t
Where f = wave frequency, N = number of waves produced or passing a point and t,= time taken to produce the waves or for the waves to pass the point
Adjacent
Right next to each other
Period T
The time taken to produce one whole wave or the time taken for one whole wave to pass a point, measured in seconds (s)
T=1/f or f=1/T
T = Period T and f = frequency
d=vxt
Where d = distance travelled by wave (m), v = wave speed (ms-1) and t = time taken to travel (s)
v=fλ
Where v = wave speed (ms-1), f = frequency of wave (Hz) and λ = wavelength of wave (m)
The quoted value for the Speed of Sound in Air
Vₛ=340ms-1
Diffraction
The curving of a wave around a barrier or through a gap
Longer Wavelengths
They Diffract more, gap width ≤ 1λ
Shorter Wavelengths
They Diffract Less, gap width > 1λ
Source of Radio Waves
Stars, Radio Transmitters
Detector of Radio Waves
Aerials
Use of Radio Waves
Communication
Sources of Microwaves
Mobile devices, microwave ovens
Detectors of Microwaves
Aerials, Satellite dishes
Uses of Microwaves
Communication, Cooking
Sources of Infrared Waves
Hot objects (e.g. sun), IR laser
Detectors of Infrared Waves
Thermometers, Thermistors
Use of Infrared Waves
Remote controls
Sources of Visible Light
Stars, Light bulbs, LEDs, Lasers
Detectors of Visible Light
Retina of the eye, Photographic film, Charge-Coupled Device (CCD)
Use of Visible Light
Seeing
Sources of Ultra Violet Waves
Very hot objects, Mercury vapour lamps
Detector of Ultra Violet Waves
Photographic film
Use of Ultra Violet Waves
Setting fillings in teeth
Sources of X-Rays
X-Ray tubes, Very bright stars
Detectors of X-Rays
Photographic film, Transistor arrays
Use of X-Rays
Medical and Security scanning
Source of Gamma Rays
Radioactive nuclei
Detector of Gamma Rays
Geiger-Muller tube
Uses of Gamma Rays
Radiotherapy, Medical scanning
Radio Waves
The EM Wave with the longest wavelength and lowest frequency that diffracts the most
Gamma Rays
The EM Wave with the shortest wave length and highest frequency that diffracts the least
3x10⁸ms-1
The speed of all EM Waves in air or a vacuum
400nm-700nm
The range of EM Wave lengths the human eye is sensitive to
Refraction
The change in speed when a wave travels from one medium into another
Angle of Incidence
The angle between the Incident Ray and Normal before refraction
Angle of Refraction
The angle between the Incident Ray and the Normal after refraction
The EM Spectrum in order of wavelength
Radio Waves, Microwaves, Infrared, Visible Light, Ultraviolet Waves, X-Rays, Gamma Waves