Brandi's Physics

Front 1

amplitude

Back 1

the maximum distance from the equilibrium position that occurs in periodic motion

Front 2

antinode

Back 2

one of the positions in a standing wave or interfernce pattern where there is maximum movement, that is the amplitude is at the maximum (greatest vibration)

Front 3

crest

Back 3

the peak os a wave disturbance

Front 4

cycle

Back 4

one complete repetition of a periodic motion. It may start anyplace in the motion

Front 5

diffraction

Back 5

the spreading of waves passing through an opening or around a barrier

Front 6

displacement

Back 6

in wave motion, the distance of the disturbance from its equilbium position

Front 7

equilibrium position

Back 7

position where the net force is zero

Front 8

frequency

Back 8

the number of times a periodic motion repeats in a unit of time. It is equal to the inverse of the period

Front 9

fundamental frequency

Back 9

the lowest resonant frequenct for an oscillating system

Front 10

harmonic

Back 10

frequency that is a whole-number myltiple of the fundamental frequency

Front 11

in phase

Back 11

describes two or more waves with the same eave-length and frequency that have their crests lined up

Front 12

interference

Back 12

the superposition of waves

Front 13

longitudinal waves

Back 13

a wave in which the vibrations of the medium are parallel to the direction the wave is moving

Front 14

node

Back 14

one of the positions in a standing wave or interference pattern where there is no movement, that is the amplitude is at zero

Front 15

oscillation

Back 15

a vibration about an equillibrium position or shape

Front 16

period

Back 16

the shortest length of time it takes a periodic motion to repeat. It is equal to the inverse of the frequency

Front 17

periodic wave

Back 17

a wave in which all the pulses have the same sze and shape. The wave pattern repeats itself over a distance of one wavelength and over a time of one period

Front 18

resonance

Back 18

a large increase in the amplitude of a vibration when a force is applied at a natural frequency of the medium or object

Front 19

spring constant

Back 19

the amount of force required to stretch a spring by one unit of length. Measured in newtons per meter

Front 20

standing wave

Back 20

interference pattern produced by two wave of equal amplitude and frequency traveling in opposite directions. The pattern is characterized by alternating nodal and antinodal regions

Front 21

superposition

Back 21

combining of two or more waves at a location in space

Front 22

transverse wave

Back 22

wave in which the vibrations of the medium are perpendicular to the direction the wave is moving

Front 23

trough

Back 23

a valley of wave disturbance

Front 24

wave

Back 24

movement of energy from one place to another without any accompanying matter

Front 25

wavelength

Back 25

the shortest repetition length for a periodic wave. distance from crest to crest, or trough to trough

Front 26

beats

Back 26

variation in the amplitude resulting from the superposition of two waves that have nearly the same frequencies

Front 27

Doppler Effect

Back 27

a change in the frequency of a periodic wave due to the motion of the observer the source, or both

Front 28

shock wave

Back 28

the characteristic cone-shaped wave front that is produced whenever an object travels faster than the speed of the waves in the surrounding medium

Front 29

focal length

Back 29

the distance from a mirror to its focal point

Front 30

focal point

Back 30

the location at which a mirror focuses rays parallel to the optic axis or from which such rays appear to diverge

Front 31

law of reflection

Back 31

the angle of reflection is equal to the angle of incidence

Front 32

light ray

Back 32

a line that represents the path of light in a given direction

Front 33

optic axis

Back 33

a line passing through the center of a curved mirror and the center of the sphere from which the mirror is made

Front 34

real image

Back 34

an image formed by the convergence of lights

Front 35

virtual image

Back 35

the image formed when light only appears to come from the location of the image

Front 36

critical angle

Back 36

minimum angle of incidence for total internal reflection to occur

Front 37

dispersion

Back 37

spreading of light into a spectrum of colors

Front 38

focal length

Back 38

distance from the center of a lens to its focal point

Front 39

focal point

Back 39

location at which a lens focuses rays parallel to the optic axis or from which such rays appear to diverge

Front 40

refraction

Back 40

the bending of light that occurs at the interface between transparent media

Front 41

total internal reflection

Back 41

a phenomenon that occurs when the angle of incidence of light traveling from a material with a high index of refraction into one with a lower index of refraction exceeds that critical angle

Front 42

polarized

Back 42

a property of a transverse wave when its vibrations are all in a single plane