GCSE Physics Revision — Wave Properties (GCSE)
Revise Wave Properties (GCSE) for GCSE Physics with a topic explanation, worked example and common mistakes. Check the board notes for specification differences.
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What is Wave Properties (GCSE)?
Waves are vibrations that transfer energy from one place to another without transferring matter. Key properties of a wave include its amplitude (the maximum displacement from the equilibrium position), wavelength (the distance between two corresponding points on adjacent waves), and frequency (the number of waves passing a point per second).
Board notes: A fundamental topic for all GCSE Physics boards (AQA, Edexcel, OCR).
Step-by-step explanationWorked examples
Worked example
A wave has a wavelength of 2m and a frequency of 5Hz. What is its speed? Solution: Wave Speed = Frequency x Wavelength. v = fλ = 5 Hz x 2 m = 10 m/s.
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Common mistakes
- 1Confusing the amplitude with the total height of the wave. Amplitude is the displacement from the middle (equilibrium) position to a crest or trough.
- 2Thinking that waves transfer matter. Waves transfer energy only. The particles of the medium oscillate but do not travel along with the wave.
- 3Mixing up the units for wavelength (metres, m) and frequency (Hertz, Hz).
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Frequently asked questions
What is the period of a wave?
The period (T) of a wave is the time it takes for one complete wave to pass a point. It is the reciprocal of the frequency (T = 1/f).
What is the difference between wavelength and frequency?
Wavelength is the spatial period of the wave – the distance over which the wave's shape repeats. Frequency is the number of complete waves that pass a point per unit of time.