P6 - Waves

P6 - Waves

1. Amplitude

   • The height of the wave above the centre line

2. Wavelength

   • The distance between two identical points on a wave e.g. two peaks
     • The units of wavelength are metres

3. Frequency

   • How many waves go past in one second
     • The units of frequency are Hertz

4. Microphone

   • Takes sound waves and turns them into electrical signals
   • Speaker
     • Takes electrical signals and turns them into a sound wave

5. Types of wave

   • Longitudinal
     • The waves move in the direction of travel
       • like sound waves
     • Compression - where the particles are close together
       • Rarefaction - where the particles are far apart
   • Transverse
     • The waves move across the direction of travel
       • like light waves or water waves

6. Pitch

   • How high or low the sound is

7. Volume

   • How loud the sound is

8. The speed of sound

   • Sound travels fastest in solids
   • In water sound travels at 1500m/s
   • In air sound travels at 330m/s
   • Sound does not travel in a vacuum

9. The Ear

   • Pinna
     • Ear Canal
       • Ear Drum
         • Ossicles
           • Hammer, anvil, stirrup
           • Cochlea
             • Tiny hairs move and convert the sound wave into an electrical signal
             • Auditory Nerve
               • Brain