General Properties Of Waves

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Wave Basics & Energy Transfer

Waves transfer energy without transferring matter.
Objects floating on water bob up and down but do not move with the wave – evidence that matter is not transferred.
Waves are described as oscillations or vibrations about a fixed point.
Ripples cause water particles to oscillate up and down; sound waves cause air particles to vibrate back and forth.

A toy duck bobbing up and down on water waves, illustrating that waves transfer energy but not matter.

Features of a Wave

Amplitude – maximum displacement from undisturbed position; measured in metres (m).
Wavelength (λ) – distance from one point on the wave to the same point on the next wave; measured in metres (m).
Frequency (f) – number of waves passing a point per second; measured in hertz (Hz).
Crest (peak) – highest point above undisturbed position; trough – lowest point below.
Wavefront – a line representing a single wave; arrow (ray) shows direction of travel.
Wave speed – distance travelled by a wave each second.

Diagram showing the amplitude and wavelength of a wave, measured from the undisturbed position.

The Wave Equation

Wave speed equation: v = f × λ (v = wave speed in m/s, f = frequency in Hz, λ = wavelength in m).
Period (T) – time for one complete oscillation; T = 1/f (seconds).
Frequency and period are related: f = 1/T and T = 1/f.
Both transverse and longitudinal waves obey the wave equation.

Ripple tank patterns for low- and high-frequency vibration: higher frequency gives a shorter wavelength.

Transverse Waves

Transverse waves: vibration is perpendicular to direction of energy transfer.
Have peaks and troughs.
Examples: electromagnetic waves (light, radio, X-rays), ripples on water, seismic S-waves.
Mechanical transverse waves can travel in solids and on liquid surfaces, but not in liquids or gases.
Non-mechanical transverse waves (e.g., light) can travel in a vacuum.

Transverse wave motion in a rope: vibration at 90 degrees to the direction of energy transfer, with wave peak and wave trough labelled.

Longitudinal Waves

Longitudinal waves: vibration is parallel to direction of energy transfer.
Have compressions (particles close together) and rarefactions (particles spaced apart).
Examples: sound waves, seismic P-waves.
Can travel in solids, liquids, and gases; cannot travel in a vacuum.
Density and pressure change along the wave.

Longitudinal wave motion in a spring, showing compression and rarefaction.

Wave Behaviour: Reflection, Refraction, Diffraction

All waves can undergo reflection, refraction, and diffraction.
Reflection – wave hits a boundary and stays in the original medium; angle of incidence = angle of reflection.
Refraction – wave changes speed when entering a different medium; wavelength changes but frequency stays the same; direction may change (towards normal if slowing down, away if speeding up).
Diffraction – waves spread out when passing through a narrow gap or around an edge.
Diffraction is most prominent when gap width ≈ wavelength; larger gap → less diffraction.
Longer wavelengths diffract more than shorter wavelengths.

An identical image of a tree is seen in the water due to reflection.

Ripple Tank Experiments

A ripple tank demonstrates wave properties using water waves.
Reflection: wavefronts reflect off a metal bar placed in the water.
Refraction: a glass block creates shallow water; waves slow down and wavelength decreases.
Diffraction: barriers with gaps or edges show spreading of waves.
Changing motor frequency changes wavelength: higher frequency → shorter wavelength.

A ripple tank experimental set-up for demonstrating wave properties.

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Übungsfragen

Gratis-Vorschau — 8 von 54 Fragen. Registriere dich, um alle zu sehen.

1.Which of the following is the correct definition of a wave?
Easy
- AA transfer of energy without transfer of matter
- BA transfer of matter without transfer of energy
- CA transfer of both energy and matter
- DA transfer of neither energy nor matter
2.What is the amplitude of a wave?
Easy
- AThe distance from the undisturbed position to a crest or trough
- BThe distance from one crest to the next crest
- CThe number of waves passing a point per second
- DThe time taken for one complete oscillation
3.Which of the following is a transverse wave?
Easy
- ASound wave
- BSeismic P-wave
- CLight wave
- DLongitudinal wave in a slinky
4.A wave has a speed of 3.0 m/s and a wavelength of 0.5 m. What is its frequency?
Medium
- A1.5 Hz
- B6.0 Hz
- C0.17 Hz
- D3.5 Hz
5.In a longitudinal wave, the regions where particles are close together are called:
Easy
- ACrests
- BTroughs
- CCompressions
- DRarefactions
6.Which of the following changes occurs when a water wave passes from deep water into shallow water?
Medium
- AIts frequency increases
- BIts wavelength decreases
- CIts speed increases
- DIts amplitude remains constant
7.A wave has a time period of 0.25 s. What is its frequency?
Easy
- A0.25 Hz
- B4.0 Hz
- C2.5 Hz
- D0.4 Hz
8.Diffraction of waves is most pronounced when:
Easy
- AThe gap is much larger than the wavelength
- BThe gap is approximately equal to the wavelength
- CThe gap is much smaller than the wavelength
- DThe wavelength is zero

Mehr Fragen

9.Which of the following is the correct unit for frequency?
Easy
- AMetre (m)
- BHertz (Hz)
- CSecond (s)
- DMetre per second (m/s)
10.A student measures the distance between 10 successive wave crests as 1.8 m. What is the wavelength?
Medium
- A0.2 m
- B2.0 m
- C20 m
- D0.02 m
11.In a ripple tank, the paddle vibrates at 5 Hz. The wave speed is 0.2 m/s. What is the wavelength?
Medium
- A0.04 m
- B0.4 m
- C1.0 m
- D25 m
12.Which of the following statements about reflection of waves is correct?
Easy
- AThe angle of incidence is greater than the angle of reflection
- BThe angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection
- CThe wavelength changes upon reflection
- DThe frequency changes upon reflection
13.A water wave travels from deep water into shallow water. Which row describes what happens to the wave speed, frequency, and wavelength?
Medium
- Aspeed decreases, frequency stays the same, wavelength decreases
- Bspeed decreases, frequency decreases, wavelength decreases
- Cspeed stays the same, frequency stays the same, wavelength stays the same
- Dspeed decreases, frequency increases, wavelength decreases
14.In a ripple tank, a vibrating paddle produces waves. The frequency of the paddle is increased. What happens to the wavelength of the water waves?
Medium
- Ait decreases
- Bit increases
- Cit stays the same
- Dit becomes zero
15.A wave has a speed of 0.25 m/s and a time period of 2.0 s. What is the wavelength?
Medium
- A0.125 m
- B0.50 m
- C2.0 m
- D4.0 m
16.A water wave passes from deep water into shallow water. Which of the following wave properties remains unchanged?
Easy
- Aspeed
- Bfrequency
- Cwavelength
- Ddirection
17.A sound wave travels from air into water. The speed of sound in water is greater than in air. What happens to the frequency and wavelength of the sound wave?
Medium
- Afrequency increases, wavelength increases
- Bfrequency stays the same, wavelength increases
- Cfrequency stays the same, wavelength decreases
- Dfrequency decreases, wavelength stays the same
18.The diagram shows wavefronts approaching a narrow gap. After passing through the gap, the wavefronts are most likely to:
Medium
- Aspread out (diffract)
- Breflect back
- Crefract towards the normal
- Dcontinue straight without spreading
19.In a ripple tank, water waves are generated by a vibrating paddle. The paddle vibrates at 10 Hz and produces waves of wavelength 2.0 cm. What is the wave speed?
Medium
- A0.2 cm/s
- B5.0 cm/s
- C20 cm/s
- D200 cm/s
20.Which of the following is a longitudinal wave?
Easy
- Alight
- Bwater waves
- Csound
- Dradio waves
21.A student observes a floating cork bobbing up and down as water waves pass. The cork moves vertically but does not move horizontally. This demonstrates that waves:
Medium
- Atransfer matter
- Btransfer energy without transferring matter
- Care transverse only
- Dare longitudinal only
22.A wave has a frequency of 50 Hz and a wavelength of 0.04 m. What is the wave speed?
Medium
- A0.0008 m/s
- B2.0 m/s
- C12.5 m/s
- D20 m/s
23.In a ripple tank experiment, a student places a glass block in the water to create a shallow region. Which wave property changes when the wave passes from deep to shallow water?
Easy
- AFrequency
- BWavelength
- CAmplitude
- DSpeed
24.A student sets up a ripple tank with a vibrating paddle at 8 Hz. The waves travel at 0.4 m/s. What is the wavelength?
Medium
- A0.05 m
- B0.5 m
- C3.2 m
- D20 m
25.In a ripple tank, a wave of wavelength 2.0 cm passes through a gap of width 1.0 cm. Which statement about the diffraction is correct?
Medium
- ANo diffraction occurs because the gap is smaller than the wavelength.
- BSignificant diffraction occurs because the gap is comparable to the wavelength.
- CDiffraction is less than if the gap were 2.0 cm wide.
- DDiffraction is greater than if the gap were 0.5 cm wide.
26.A student measures the distance between 5 successive wave crests as 20 cm. What is the wavelength?
Easy
- A4 cm
- B5 cm
- C20 cm
- D100 cm
27.In a ripple tank, a vibrating paddle produces waves. The frequency of the paddle is decreased. What happens to the wavelength of the water waves?
Medium
- AIt decreases
- BIt stays the same
- CIt increases
- DIt first decreases then increases
28.A student uses a ripple tank to investigate diffraction. The gap width is 3 cm and the wavelength is 1 cm. How does the diffraction pattern change if the wavelength is increased to 3 cm?
Medium
- AThe waves spread out more
- BThe waves spread out less
- CThe waves spread out the same
- DNo diffraction occurs
29.A student observes a floating cork bobbing up and down as water waves pass. The cork moves vertically but does not move horizontally. This demonstrates that waves transfer:
Easy
- AMatter but not energy
- BEnergy but not matter
- CBoth energy and matter
- DNeither energy nor matter
30.In a ripple tank, a plane barrier is placed at an angle to the wavefronts. Which statement about the reflected waves is correct?
Medium
- AThe wavelength of the reflected waves is smaller than that of the incident waves.
- BThe angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.
- CThe reflected waves have a higher frequency.
- DThe reflected waves travel faster.
31.A student uses a ripple tank to generate water waves. The wave crests are 4.0 cm apart. The frequency of the wave is 5.0 Hz. What is the speed of the wave?
Medium
- A0.20 m/s
- B0.80 m/s
- C20 m/s
- D80 m/s
32.A student measures the distance between 6 successive wave crests on a water wave as 15 cm. What is the wavelength?
Easy
- A2.5 cm
- B3.0 cm
- C15 cm
- D90 cm
33.A water wave travels from deep water into shallow water. Which row correctly describes the changes in wave speed, frequency, and wavelength?
Medium
- Aspeed decreases, frequency unchanged, wavelength decreases
- Bspeed decreases, frequency decreases, wavelength decreases
- Cspeed increases, frequency unchanged, wavelength increases
- Dspeed unchanged, frequency decreases, wavelength decreases
34.Which of the following correctly describes the amplitude of a transverse wave?
Easy
- AThe distance from the undisturbed position to a peak (or trough)
- BThe distance from the undisturbed position down to a trough only
- CThe distance from one peak to the next peak
- DThe distance from a crest all the way to a trough
35.In a ripple tank, the frequency of the vibrating paddle is 8 Hz. The distance between 3 successive wave crests is 6.0 cm. What is the speed of the wave?
Medium
- A0.16 m/s
- B0.24 m/s
- C0.48 m/s
- D1.6 m/s
36.A sound wave in air has a frequency of 256 Hz and a speed of 340 m/s. What is its wavelength?
Medium
- A0.75 m
- B1.33 m
- C84 m
- D870 m
37.A student notices that a floating cork bobs up and down 20 times in 10 seconds as water waves pass. The distance between successive wave crests is 0.5 m. What is the wave speed?
Medium
- A0.25 m/s
- B1.0 m/s
- C2.5 m/s
- D4.0 m/s
38.In a ripple tank experiment, a student places a glass block on the bottom of the tank to create a shallow region. Water waves pass from deep water to the shallow region. Which of the following describes the changes in wave speed, frequency, and wavelength?
Medium
- ASpeed decreases, frequency stays the same, wavelength decreases
- BSpeed decreases, frequency decreases, wavelength decreases
- CSpeed increases, frequency stays the same, wavelength increases
- DSpeed stays the same, frequency increases, wavelength decreases
39.Waves transfer matter as well as energy.
Easy
True or false?
40.A wave has a time period of 0.02 s. What is its frequency?
Easy
- A0.02 Hz
- B50 Hz
- C500 Hz
- D20 Hz
41.In a ripple tank, water waves pass from deep water to shallow water. Which statement about the wave is correct?
Medium
- AThe frequency increases and the wavelength decreases.
- BThe frequency stays the same and the wavelength decreases.
- CThe frequency decreases and the wavelength increases.
- DThe frequency stays the same and the wavelength increases.
42.Refraction is the only wave effect in which the wavelength changes.
Medium
True or false?
43.Match each wave property with its correct definition.
Medium
- Amplitude
- Wavelength
- Frequency
- Number of waves per second
- Maximum displacement from undisturbed position
- Distance between two consecutive corresponding points
44.In a ripple tank, the frequency of the vibrating paddle is 12 Hz. The distance between 5 successive wave crests is 20 cm. What is the speed of the wave?
Medium
- A0.48 m/s
- B0.60 m/s
- C0.33 m/s
- D2.4 m/s
45.Arrange the following steps in the correct order to determine the speed of water waves using a ripple tank.
Medium
- Measure the distance between several wave crests to find wavelength
- Calculate wave speed using v = fλ
- Count the number of waves passing a point per second to find frequency
- Set up the ripple tank and generate waves
46.Which of the following are transverse waves? (Select all that apply)
Medium
- ASound waves in air
- BRipples on water surface
- CSeismic P-waves
- DElectromagnetic waves
- ESeismic S-waves
47.When a wave undergoes diffraction, its wavelength remains constant.
Easy
True or false?
48.A student sets up a ripple tank with a vibrating paddle at 5 Hz. The waves travel at 0.3 m/s. What is the wavelength?
Medium
- A0.06 m
- B0.6 m
- C1.5 m
- D15 m
49.Complete the sentence.
Easy
The wavelength of a longitudinal wave can be measured from the centre of one ____ to the centre of the next ____.
50.A wave travels at 340 m/s and has a frequency of 1700 Hz. Calculate the wavelength.
Easy
51.Explain how a floating cork demonstrates that water waves transfer energy but not matter.
Medium
52.A water wave has a speed of 0.20 m/s. The distance between five successive wave crests is 0.80 m. What is the frequency of the wave?
Medium
53.State what is meant by the term 'wavefront'.
Easy
54.A wave travels at 340 m/s and has a frequency of 1700 Hz. Calculate the wavelength.
Easy
- A1.2 m
- B0.2 m
- C-0.8 m
- D2.2 m

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