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Wave properties

7 lessons in Waves.

63 exam questions · 150 marks

6.1 Transverse and longitudinal waves Waves transfer energy without transferring matter; transverse and longitudinal waves, compressions and rarefactions, and evidence that the medium does not travel with the wave. AQA Edexcel OCR 6.2 Wave properties and the wave equation Amplitude, wavelength, frequency and period of a wave, the wave equation v = f x wavelength, and T = 1/f, with typical wave speeds. AQA Edexcel OCR 6.3 Required practical: measuring waves Required practical: measure the speed of waves using a ripple tank and a vibrating string, and calculate speed from frequency and wavelength. AQA Edexcel OCR 6.4 Reflection, refraction and wavefronts What happens when waves meet a boundary: reflection, absorption and transmission, the law of reflection, refraction as a change in speed, and wavefronts (Higher), with total internal reflection for Edexcel. AQA Edexcel OCR 6.5 Required practical: reflection and refraction of light Required practical: investigate the reflection of light by a mirror and the refraction of light through a rectangular glass block by tracing rays and measuring angles. AQA Edexcel OCR 6.6 Sound waves and hearing Higher tier: how sound travels as vibrations in different materials, frequency and pitch, amplitude and loudness, how the ear works, and the range of human hearing. For Separate Science. Higher only Separate only AQA Edexcel OCR 6.7 Ultrasound, echoes and seismic waves Higher tier: using ultrasound and echoes for medical scans and sonar, calculating distances from time and speed, and how P-waves and S-waves reveal the structure of the Earth. For Separate Science. Higher only Separate only AQA Edexcel OCR