4.4 - Wave Characteristics

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Physics HL (4 - Simple Harmonic Motion and Waves) Mind Map on 4.4 - Wave Characteristics, created by wondersnail on 22/03/2014.
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Mind Map by wondersnail, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by wondersnail about 10 years ago
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4.4 - Wave Characteristics
  1. 4.4.1
    1. Wave pulse- a single, instant crest?
      1. Continous wave- A wave of constant amplitude and frequency; the wave goes up and down forever (unless damped!)
      2. 4.4.3
        1. Transverse wave- A wave in which the direction of disturbance is perpendicular to the direction of travel
          1. Example: Wave in a string
          2. Longitudinal wave- A wave in which the direction of disturbance is parallel to the direction of travel
            1. Example: Wave in a spring
          3. 4.4.2
            1. Progressive waves transfer energy.
            2. 4.4.4
              1. Wavefront- a line joining all point in a wave that are in phase
                1. Ray- lines drawn to show the direction of the wave, perpendicular to the wavefront
                2. 4.4.5
                  1. Crest- maximum positive displacement from equilibrium position. Top of the wave
                    1. Trough- maximum negative displacment from equilibrium position. Bottom of the wave
                      1. Compression- pushing together of a longitudinal wave, increased frequency, decreased wavelength
                        1. Rarefaction- spreading out of the longitudinal wave, decreasing frequency, increased wavelength
                        2. 4.4.6
                          1. Wavelength- distance between two consecutive points of a wave that are in phase
                            1. Wave speed- distance travelled by the wave profile per unit time
                              1. Intensity- Power transferred by a wave per unit area
                              2. 44.8
                                1. If frequency is f, the time taken for a wave to pass one cycle is 1/f.
                                  1. Velocity = distance over time
                                    1. The distance moved in one cycle is one wavelength
                                      1. So the velocity of a wave is the wavelength divided by 1/f, which is equal to the wavelength times the frequency
                                2. 4.4.9
                                  1. All electromagnetic waves thravel with the same wave speed in free space!
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