8th Science Term 3 Exam 1 Study Guide
What are 5 examples of electromagnetic radiation?
Compare the rate of speed at which longitudinal waves travel through gases, liquids and solids:
Why is it not useful to ask the previous question (above) about transverse waves?
Describe how a wave is reflected if it hits a barrier at a perpendicular angle:
Describe how a wave is reflected if it hits a barrier at a 30 degree angle:
What causes a standing wave?
What is the node of a standing wave, and what is the anti-node?
What is the difference between reflection and refraction?
What is the difference between refraction and diffraction?
How does a longitudinal wave (like a sound wave) have “peaks” and “troughs”? Draw a diagram
of a longitudinal wave and label the peaks, troughs, and equilibrium points:
Would you describe a sound wave as a transverse wave?
Describe the motion of particles in transverse waves vs. longitudinal waves:
What is a surface wave?
What is a body wave?
What is a seismic wave?
Describe P-waves and compare them to S-waves:
What are shear waves?
How do the particles move in a longitudinal wave?
How do the particles move in a transverse wave?
How do the particles move in a surface wave?
What are Rayleigh waves?
What are Love waves?
How are Love and Rayleigh waves different than P-waves and S-waves? Which are body waves
and which are surface waves?
Which types of seismic waves create the most motion at the surface, and therefor cause the most
damage?
Describe the effects that can occur when waves interfere;
What happens to the amplitude of two waves that undergo constructive interference?
What happens to the amplitude of waves that undergo destructive interference?
What happens during intermediate interference?
If two waves interfere with each other, how are the two waves affected afterwards?
Graph 1: Displacement (cm) over time (s)
Graph 2: Displacement (cm) over distance (m)
According to the graphs above,
a) what is the wavelength?
b) what is the period?
c) what is the frequency
d) what is the amplitude
e) what is the frequency?
f) what is the speed of the wave?
If the wave graphed here is a longitudinal wave, label a point that would be a rarefaction and
label a point that would be a compression.
Label an equilibrium position on each graph.
Of the quantities you described in a-f (above) which one corresponds to the amount of energy
transported by the wave?
If two waves diffract differently around an object, what must be different about the two waves?
What is another name for longitudinal waves?
Which mechanical waves can travel through gases and liquids, and which cannot?
What is rarefaction?
Which of the following change when a wave is reflected?
speed
frequency
wavelength
period
amplitude
What is an incident wave?
What is a reflected wave?
How is a reflected wave different that the incident wave, and how is it the same?
This kid has produced a standing wave with a single rope. How many nodes are there?
At any one moment, how many antinodes are there?
S
Why can’t we hear the roar of the sun?
Why do waves “bunch up” as they get closer to shore?
What happens to wave frequency as waves get closer to shore?
What happens to wave period as waves get closer to shore?
What happens to wave amplitude as waves get closer to shore?
What happens to wavelength as waves get closer to shore?
Compare the wavelength of a tidal wave to that of a typical surface wave:
What causes tidal waves?
Why does a tsunami wave get so much bigger close to shore than it is out in the deeper water?
How are mechanical waves different than electromagnetic waves?
Can a sound wave go through a solid? A liquid? A gas? In which would the sound wave be
slowest?
Show the mathematical relationship between frequency and period:
Show the mathematical relationship between wave speed, wavelength and period:
Show the mathematical relationship between wave speed, wavelength and frequency:
What is a waveform?
Which property of waves does not change during the refraction between two different media?
How does the rough texture of soundproofing material work?
What happens to a sound wave when it hits denser air?
Describe the function:
pinna –
cochlea –
eardrum –
auditory nerve –
What range of frequencies is audible sound for humans?
What is the threshold of hearing? How many decibels is that?
What is the threshold of pain? How many decibels is that?
If a sound wave has a wavelength of 0.6m and is traveling 420 m/s, what is the frequency? What
is the period?
What is the inverse square law?
What is “pitch”? How does pitch relate to frequency?