Waves and their Applications

Front

What is a wave?

Back

A wave is a disturbance that transfers energy from one place to another without transferring matter.

Front

What are the two main types of waves?

Back

The two main types of waves are mechanical waves (which require a medium to travel through) and electromagnetic waves (which can travel through a vacuum).

Front

Define amplitude in the context of waves.

Back

Amplitude is the maximum displacement of points on a wave from its rest position, indicating the energy of the wave.

Front

What is frequency in relation to waves?

Back

Frequency is the number of waves that pass a given point in one second, measured in Hertz (Hz).

Front

What is wavelength?

Back

Wavelength is the distance between two consecutive points that are in phase on a wave, such as crest to crest or trough to trough.

Front

How does energy relate to amplitude?

Back

Higher amplitude means more energy; as amplitude increases, the energy carried by the wave also increases.

Front

What is the speed of light in a vacuum?

Back

The speed of light in a vacuum is approximately 186,000 miles per second (or about 300,000 kilometers per second).

Front

What is the difference between analog and digital signals?

Back

Analog signals are continuous and can take any value, while digital signals are discrete and represent data in binary form (0s and 1s).

Front

What is a transverse wave?

Back

A transverse wave is a wave in which the motion of the medium is perpendicular to the direction of the wave's travel.

Front

What is a longitudinal wave?

Back

A longitudinal wave is a wave in which the motion of the medium is parallel to the direction of the wave's travel.