Wave properties

Physics · Unit 2 — Linear motion and w aves · Waves

Learning objectives (28)

LO-1Analyse the amplitude, period, frequency and wavelength from graphs of transverse and longitudinal waves.LO-2Compare light to a mechanical wave.LO-3Compare transverse waves and longitudinal waves.LO-4Construct ray diagrams to demonstrate the reflection and refraction of light.LO-5Contrast the speed of light and the speed of mechanical waves.LO-6Describe examples of transverse and longitudinal waves, such as sound, seismic waves and vibrations of stringed instruments.LO-7Describe polarisation using a transverse wave model.LO-8Describe the concept of intensity and its proportionality to the square of the amplitude.LO-9Describe the concept of mechanical waves.LO-10Describe the concept of resonance in a mechanical system.LO-11Describe the concept of Snell’s Law.LO-12Describe the concepts of compression, rarefaction, crest, trough, displacement, amplitude, period, frequency, wavelength and velocity and identify them on graphical and visual representations of a wave.LO-13Describe the concepts of fundamental (or first) harmonic and natural frequency.LO-14Describe the concepts of reflection, refraction, diffraction and superposition.LO-15Describe the reflection and refraction of a wave at a boundary between two media.LO-16Describe the transfer of energy through waves.LO-17Determine the refractive index of a transparent substance from experimental data.LO-18Determine the resultant amplitude of two simple waves interacting using the principle of superposition.LO-19Explain constructive interference and destructive interference of two simple waves.LO-20Explain phenomena related to reflection and refraction using the wave model of light.LO-21Explain the concepts of reflection, refraction, total internal reflection, dispersion, diffraction and interference in relation to the wave model of light.LO-22Explain the formation of standing waves in terms of superposition with reference to constructive and destructive interference, and nodes and antinodes. Sound LO-23Identify that energy is transferred efficiently in resonating systems. Light LO-24Solve problems involving standing wave formation in pipes open at both ends, closed at one end, and on stretched strings using 𝐿 = 𝑛 𝜆 2 and 𝐿 = (2𝑛 − 1) 𝜆 4.LO-25Solve problems involving the period, frequency, wavelength, and velocity of a wave using 𝑣 = 𝑓𝜆 and 𝑓 = 1 𝑇 and using but not limited to 𝑣𝑠 = 346 m s−1.LO-26Solve problems involving the proportional relationship between intensity of light and the inverse-square of the distance from the source using 𝐼 ∝ 1 𝑟2.LO-27Solve problems involving the reflection of light on single plane mirrors and refraction of light through a single convex or concave lens using ray diagrams to identify the location, orientation and size of an image.LO-28Solve problems involving the refraction of light at the boundary between two mediums using sin 𝑖 sin 𝑟 = 𝑣1 𝑣2 = 𝜆1 𝜆2 = 𝑛2 𝑛1.

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