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A level physics waves key defenitions

The document covers key concepts in A-Level Physics related to waves, including definitions of displacement, amplitude, wavelength, frequency, period, and wave speed. It explains the types of waves (transverse and longitudinal), their behaviors (reflection, refraction, diffraction, and interference), and provides details on Young's double-slit experiment. Additionally, it discusses stationary waves, including nodes and antinodes, and provides relevant equations for calculations.

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2 views2 pages

A level physics waves key defenitions

The document covers key concepts in A-Level Physics related to waves, including definitions of displacement, amplitude, wavelength, frequency, period, and wave speed. It explains the types of waves (transverse and longitudinal), their behaviors (reflection, refraction, diffraction, and interference), and provides details on Young's double-slit experiment. Additionally, it discusses stationary waves, including nodes and antinodes, and provides relevant equations for calculations.

Uploaded by

sharjeel.sj09
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1.

A-Level Physics (AQA) – Topic: Waves


📌 Key Definitions
●​ Displacement (x): Distance a point on the wave has moved from its undisturbed
position.​

●​ Amplitude (A): Maximum displacement from equilibrium.​

●​ Wavelength (λ): Distance between two identical points on adjacent waves (e.g.,
crest to crest).​

●​ Frequency (f): Number of complete waves passing a point per second (Hz).​

●​ Period (T): Time taken for one wave to pass a point. T=1fT = \frac{1}{f}T=f1​​

●​ Wave speed (v): Speed at which the wave propagates through a medium. v=fλv =
fλv=fλ​

🌊 Types of Waves
●​ Transverse Waves: Oscillations perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation
(e.g. light, water).​

●​ Longitudinal Waves: Oscillations parallel to the direction of wave propagation (e.g.


sound, seismic P-waves).​

🌀 Wave Behaviour
●​ Reflection: Wave bounces off a surface.​

●​ Refraction: Change in wave direction due to change in speed (use Snell’s law:
n1sin⁡θ1=n2sin⁡θ2n_1\sinθ_1 = n_2\sinθ_2n1​sinθ1​=n2​sinθ2​).​

●​ Diffraction: Spreading of waves when passing through a gap or around an obstacle.


Most significant when gap ≈ λ.​

●​ Interference: Superposition of waves causing constructive or destructive


interference.​

🔬 Interference (Young’s Double-Slit)


●​ Constructive interference: Path difference = nλ​

●​ Destructive interference: Path difference = (n + ½)λ​

●​ Equation: λ=axDλ = \frac{ax}{D}λ=Dax​​

○​ aaa: slit separation​

○​ xxx: fringe separation​

○​ DDD: distance from slits to screen​

📈 Stationary Waves
●​ Formed by the superposition of two waves traveling in opposite directions with same
frequency.​

●​ Nodes: Points of zero displacement.​

●​ Antinodes: Points of maximum displacement.​

●​ In strings: fn=n2LTμf_n = \frac{n}{2L} \sqrt{\frac{T}{μ}}fn​=2Ln​μT​​

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