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Topic 4 - Oscillations and Waves
IB Physics Terminology
32
Physics
12th Grade
03/09/2014

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Term
Displacement (for waves) *
Definition
distance a particle moves in a particular direction from its mean (equilibrium) position
Term
Amplitude *
Definition
maximum displacement from the mean position
Term
Frequency (f) *
Definition
number of oscillations per unit time
Term
Period (T) *
Definition
time taken for one complete oscillation (cycle) (OR: time taken for one cycle to pass a given point)
Term
Phase Difference *
Definition
difference in phase between two points
Term
Simple Harmonic Motion *
Definition
motion that takes place when the acceleration of an object is proportional to its displacement from its equilibrium position and is always directed toward its equilibrium position (NOTE: this motion is defined by the equation a=-ω2x)
Term
Damping
Definition
involves a force that is always in the opposite direction to the direction of motion of the oscillating particle (NOTE: this force is a dissipative force)
Term
Critical Damping
Definition
when a resistive force is applied to an oscillating system that causes the particle to return to zero displacement in a minimum amount of time
Term
Natural Frequency of Vibration
Definition
when a system is displaced from equilibrium and allowed to oscillate freely, it will do so at its natural frequency of vibration
Term
Forced Oscillations
Definition
a system may be forced to oscillate at any given frequency by an outside driving force that is applied to it
Term
Resonance *
Definition
a transfer of energy in which a system is subject to an oscillating force that matches the natural frequency of the system resulting in a large amplitude of vibration
Term
Wave Pulse *
Definition
single oscillation or disturbance in a medium
Term
Continuous Progressive (Traveling) Wave *
Definition
series of periodic pulses (NOTE: involves a transfer of energy) (NOTE: each point on the wave has the same amplitude)
Term
Transverse Wave *
Definition
wave in which the direction of motion of the energy transfer (the wave) is perpendicular to the direction of motion of the particles of the medium (NOTE: light waves are transverse) (NOTE: transverse waves cannot be propagated in gases)
Term
Longitudinal Wave *
Definition
wave in which the direction of motion of the energy transfer (the wave) is parallel to the direction of motion of the particles of the medium (NOTE: sound waves are longitudinal)
Term
Wavefront
Definition
collection of neighboring points on a wave that are in phase
Term
Ray
Definition
line drawn perpendicular to a wavefront indicating the direction of motion of the energy transfer
Term
Crest
Definition
top of a transverse wave
Term
Trough
Definition
bottom of a transverse wave
Term
Compression
Definition
area of high pressure in a longitudinal wave
Term
Rarefaction
Definition
area of low pressure (expansion) in a longitudinal wave
Term
Wavelength (?) *
Definition
shortest distance along the wave between two points in phase with one another (OR: distance traveled by the wave in one period)
Term
Wave Speed (v) *
Definition
speed of transfer of the energy of the wave
Term
Intensity (I) *
Definition
power received per unit area (NOTE: for a wave, its intensity is proportional to the square of its amplitude)
Term
Law of Reflection
Definition
The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection when both angles are measured with respect to the normal line
Term
Snell’s Law *
Definition
The ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction is a constant, for a given frequency.
Term
Refractive Index (Index of Refraction) (n) *
Definition
the ratio of the speed of the wave in the refracted medium to the speed of the wave in the incident medium (the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction)
Term
Diffraction
Definition
the bending of a wave around an obstacle or the spreading of a wave through an opening (NOTE: diffraction is only noticeable when the size of the opening is smaller than or on the same order of the size of the wavelength)
Term
Principle of Superposition *
Definition
When two waves meet, the resultant displacement is the vector sum of the displacements of the component waves.
Term
Constructive Interference
Definition
superposition of two waves which are in phase with each other
Term
Destructive Interference
Definition
superposition of two waves which are out of phase with each other
Term
Path Difference
Definition
difference in the distances two waves must travel from their sources to a given point
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