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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 have oscillations that occur perpendicular to the direction of wave travel. This means that if the wave travels horizontally, the oscillations move up and down. Examples include water waves and waves on a string.
In contrast, longitudinal waves feature oscillations that progress in the same direction as the wave travels. For instance, in a sound wave, the compressions and rarefactions move along the same line as the wave itself.
Step 2
This is used to study the behaviour of water waves.
Answer
To find the frequency of the waves generated in the ripple tank:
- Measure the time taken, T, for a specific number of waves to pass a fixed point. Let's say for 'n' waves.
- Calculate the frequency using the formula:
This formula will give you the frequency of the waves in the ripple tank.