Scribd
Upload
9 views6 pages

physics

The document provides an overview of waves, including definitions of key terms such as pulse, vibration, wavelength, frequency, and amplitude. It explains the differences between transverse and longitudinal waves, interference types, and sound phenomena like pitch and the Doppler effect. Additionally, it covers electrostatics, charge conservation, and concepts like electric fields, lightning, and quantization of charge.

Uploaded by

majidnolan1
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
9 views6 pages

physics

The document provides an overview of waves, including definitions of key terms such as pulse, vibration, wavelength, frequency, and amplitude. It explains the differences between transverse and longitudinal waves, interference types, and sound phenomena like pitch and the Doppler effect. Additionally, it covers electrostatics, charge conservation, and concepts like electric fields, lightning, and quantization of charge.

Uploaded by

majidnolan1
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 6

Waves

Pulse - single disturbance in a medium


Vibration - regular, repetitive, to and fro motion
Wave - caused by a continuous series of pulses or vibrations
Wavelength - distance between two consecutive points in phase
Frequency - number of complete waves to pass a point in one second
Period - time taken for one complete wave to pass a point
Amplitude - maximum displacement from rest position
Wave speed - distance moved by any pulse in the wave in one second

Transverse waves - where the particles of the medium vibrate at 90° to the direction in which the
wave moves

Crest - maximum position above equilibrium (rest position)


Trough - minimum position below equilibrium (rest position)
Rest position - point where there is no displacement

Longitudinal waves - where the particle of the medium vibrate parallel to the direction in which
the wave moves
Compression - area where particle are close together
Rarefaction - area where particles are far apart
Wavelength - measured from the centre of one compression to the centre of the next
compression

Interference - when two pulses/ waves cross each other

Constructive interference - when two crests/troughs meet


​ ​ ​ results in a larger amplitude

Destructive interference - when a crest meets a trough


same amplitude = total destructive interference
different amplitudes = partial destructive interference
Diffraction
When waves pass the edge of a barrier or through a gap, they spread out
Wavefronts bend into space behind barrier
Degree of diffraction depends on
​ Width of gap
​ ​ smaller the opening = greater the degree of diffraction
​ Wavelength
​ ​ greater the wavelength = greater the degree of diffraction

Sound phenomena
picture on oscilloscope - waveform
waveform - graph showing how air pressure changes time

pitch is determined by frequency


loudness is determined by amplitude
loudness - measured in decibels (dB)

Ultrasound
Sound of frequency between 20000 Hz and 1000000 Hz

Echoes
obstruction reflects your longitudinal sound wave back to you

Doppler effect
When the source of a sound moves towards someone - pitch sounds higher
When the source moves away from the observer - pitch sound lower
The perceived change in frequency - source of sound is producing the wave at the same
frequency

Electromagnetic spectrum
Electric charges (protons and electrons) accelerate or vibrate - produce electromagnetic waves
-​ Travel at a speed of 3 x 108 m.s-1
-​ Do not require a material medium ; can travel through a vacuum
-​ Can be reflected, diffracted, interfered, refracted, polarised
-​ Are transverse waves
-​ Obey the wave equation

Dispersion of white light


dispersion - the separation of visible light into different colours
each colour has its own particular wavelength,

Photons
A quantum or wave packet of electromagnetic radiation

E = hf

E - energy (j)
h - frequency (hz)
f - Planck’s constant (6,63 x 10-34 J.s)h
Electrostatics
Objects contains protons and electrons
Protons - positively charged, tightly bound in the nucleus
Electrons - negatively charged, orbit around nucleus + able to move from one substance to
another

Uncharged objects contain an equal amount of protons and electrons

Positively charged objects contain more protons than electrons (have lost electrons, cation)
Negatively charged objects contain less protons than electrons (have gained electrons, anion)

Electrostatic forces
like charges repel
opposite charges attract each other

Force between charges increases when magnitude of charges increases


Force between charges increases when distance between charges decreases

Conductor - substance which charge can flow, can become charged by friction
Insulator - doesn’t allow charge to move through it. Cannot conduct electrical current

Law of conservation of charge.


The number of electrons lost from one substance is equal to the number of electrons gained by
the other substance - charge cannot be created or destroyed

Earthing - transferring of electrons from the ground if an object has a positive charge, or to the
ground if the object is negatively charged

Polarisation - separation of charge in an object in the presence of another charged object

Lightning
Inside cloud - swirling patterns cause friction - polarisation
Negative charge of cloud - electrons move away into earth - leaves positive charge
Air loses insulating properties - conducts electric current
Lightning created when opposing forces attract (negative lightning + positive earth)
Pressure waves when hot air expands - thunder

Electric field - a region of space in which an electric charge experiences a force

Quantisation of charge
elementary charge- amount of charge carried by one electron

single electron = -1,6 x 10^-19C

Q = nqe

Charge transfer
Qnew = (Q1 + Q2) / 2

You might also like