Describing Wave Motion Flashcards

All 6 cards in this deck

What is the amplitude of a wave?

The maximum displacement of a point on the wave away from its undisturbed position.

What is the wavelength of a wave?

The distance from a point on one wave to the equivalent point on the adjacent wave.

What is the frequency of a wave, and what is its unit?

The number of waves passing a point each second, measured in hertz (Hz).

What is the period of a wave, and what is the equation linking period and frequency?

The time taken for one complete wave to pass a point; $T = \dfrac{1}{f}$, with $T$ in seconds.

What is the wave speed?

The speed at which the energy is transferred (or the wave moves) through the medium, in m/s.

True or false? The amplitude of a wave is the distance from the top of a crest to the bottom of a trough.

False. The amplitude is the maximum displacement from the undisturbed position — half of the crest-to-trough distance.