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Waves & Optics

136 cards · 🇺🇸 English

Wave properties, sound, the electromagnetic spectrum, reflection and refraction.

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Wave

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  1. 1Wave
    A propagating dynamic disturbance (change from equilibrium) of one or more quantities
  2. 2Periodic wave
    A wave that oscillates repeatedly about an equilibrium value at some frequency
  3. 3Travelling wave
    A wave where the entire waveform moves in one direction
  4. 4Standing wave
    A wave formed by superimposed periodic waves traveling in opposite directions, with nulls at some positions
  5. 5Two main types of waves in classical physics
    Mechanical waves and electromagnetic waves
  6. 6Mechanical wave
    An oscillation of matter where stress and strain fields propagate through a physical medium
  7. 7Electromagnetic wave
    A wave where coupling between electric and magnetic fields sustains propagation according to Maxwell's equations
  8. 8Can electromagnetic waves travel through a vacuum?
    Yes, electromagnetic waves can travel through vacuum and some dielectric media
  9. 9Examples of electromagnetic waves
    Radio waves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays
  10. 10Gravitational waves
    Disturbances in spacetime that propagate according to general relativity
  11. 11Do waves transfer particles in the medium?
    No, waves transfer energy, momentum, and information, but not particles in the medium
  12. 12Wave field
    A physical quantity that has a value at points in space, represented by a function
  13. 13Scalar field
    A field where the value at each point is a number
  14. 14Vector field
    A field where the value at each point is a vector
  15. 15Plane wave
    A wave where the disturbance is identical along any infinite plane normal to the direction of travel
  16. 16Sinusoidal plane wave
    The simplest wave where the field experiences simple harmonic motion at one frequency
  17. 17Transverse wave
    A wave where the field disturbance is perpendicular to the direction of propagation
  18. 18Longitudinal wave
    A wave where the field vectors are aligned with the direction of propagation
  19. 19Are electromagnetic waves transverse or longitudinal?
    Strictly transverse
  20. 20Are sound waves in fluids transverse or longitudinal?
    Longitudinal only
  21. 21Wave polarization
    The physical direction of an oscillating field relative to the propagation direction
  22. 22Wave equation for heat diffusion
    ∂u/∂t = k∇²u + Q, where k is diffusion coefficient and Q is heat source
  23. 23'the' wave equation
    ∂²u/∂t² = v²∇²u, describing mechanical vibrations and electromagnetic fields
  24. 24D'Alembert's formula
    u(x,t) = F(x − vt) + G(x + vt), representing two waveforms traveling in opposite directions
  25. 25Wavelength
    The spatial period of a wave, the distance over which the wave's shape repeats (symbol λ)
  26. 26Frequency
    The number of oscillations per unit time (symbol f or ν)
  27. 27Relationship between wavelength, frequency, and velocity
    v = fλ (velocity equals frequency times wavelength)
  28. 28Amplitude
    The maximum displacement from equilibrium in a wave
  29. 29Continuous wave (c.w.)
    A wave with constant amplitude
  30. 30Amplitude modulation
    Varying the amplitude of a wave so it changes with time and/or position

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