P342 HW1 Explain how things work. a) You are seeing a pencil in front of you. B)
ID: 1651569 • Letter: P
Question
P342 HW1
Explain how things work. a) You are seeing a pencil in front of you. B) You are seeing the homework through your computer monitor. (What is the source of light and how does it get to your eyes?)
Compare a transverse wave with a longitudinal wave. List 2 examples for each.
Explain the following concept: Period of a wave
Explain the following concept: Frequency of a wave
Explain the following concept: Wavelength of a wave
Consider a micro wave and a visible light wave. Which has a higher frequency? Longer wavelength? Longer period? Higher speed in vacuum?
Explanation / Answer
A) When we see a pencil, light from a source(generally sun or bulb) reflects of it's surface and reaches our eye.
B) When we see a computer screen, inside it there are pixels which emit emit light when struck by electrons.The process is complicated.
C) A transverse waves are waves where particle motion is perpendicular to wave propagation and in Longitudinal waves particle motion is parallel to the wave propagation direction.Waves on a string and Light waves are transverse waves. Sound waves,Seismic waves and waves in a spring are Longitudinal waves.
D) Period of Wave : It is the time taken by the wave to complete on full cycle.(or) The time required for two successive crests or troughs to pass through a point.
E) Frequency of Wave: It is the number of waves passing through a point in 1 sec (or) The number of cycles completed in 1 second.
F) Wavelength of Wave : It is the distance between two successive crests or troughs.
G) Microwave - Frequency Range is 300 MHz(100 cm) to 300 GHz(0.1 cm), Visible Light - Frequency Range is 430 THz(390 nm) to 770 THz(700 nm). So Visible light has higher freqency, Microwaves have longer wavelengths, Microwaves have higher period(period is the inverse of frequency), they are both electromagnetic waves and travel at the same speed i.e the speed of light.
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