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There are many different types of waves - Edexcel - GCSE Physics Combined Science - Question 1 - 2016 - Paper 1
Question 1
There are many different types of waves. (a) Waves on the surface of water are transverse waves. Sound waves are longitudinal waves. Describe the difference between... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:There are many different types of waves - Edexcel - GCSE Physics Combined Science - Question 1 - 2016 - Paper 1
Step 1
Describe the difference between transverse waves and longitudinal waves.
Answer
Transverse waves are characterized by oscillations that occur perpendicular to the direction of wave travel. This means that if the wave is moving horizontally, the oscillations occur vertically. For example, in water waves, the water rises and falls while the wave travels across the surface.
In contrast, longitudinal waves have oscillations that occur in the same direction as the wave travel. This means that in sound waves, particles of the medium compress and expand along the direction the wave is moving. Consequently, one can visualize it as a series of compressions and rarefactions traveling through the air.
Step 2
1(b)(i) Take time 7 for waves to pass a fixed point.
Answer
To find the frequency of the waves, one must observe the time taken for a specific number of waves to pass a fixed point. The formula for frequency can be expressed as:
This formula allows us to calculate how many complete wave cycles pass by in one second.