IGCSE›Oxford AQA IGCSE Physics›Mind mapsGeneral Properties of WavesOxford AQA IGCSE Physics: Mind mapStudy pack PDFAlso for this subtopic:Revision notesFlashcardsSubtopic testCover factsWhat is a wave?Disturbance from an oscillating sourceTransfers energy and informationDoes not transfer matterWave typesTransverse: oscillation perpendicular to travelTransverse: EM and water wavesLongitudinal: oscillation parallel to travelLongitudinal: sound, with compressions and rarefactionsAt a boundaryReflected: bounced backTransmitted: passes into new materialAbsorbed: energy taken inRefraction: change in speed and directionDiffraction: spreading at a gap or edgeWavesgeneral propertiesHzmm/sMeasuring wavesFrequency: waves per second, in HzWavelength: crest to crest distancePeriod: time for one waveAmplitude: maximum displacement from restWavefront: points in phaseWave speedv=fλv = f\lambdav=fλWorks for all wavesExample: 50×2=50 \times 2 =50×2= 100 m/sExam tipsWaves transfer energy, never matter