Wave Basics and Types
Transverse waves are brilliant to visualise - think of water waves where the water moves up and down whilst the wave travels horizontally. The oscillations happen at right angles to the direction the energy travels. On the flip side, longitudinal waves like sound have oscillations parallel to the energy direction, creating compressions and rarefactions.
When we talk about waves oscillating, we mean they vibrate back and forth with regular timing. The frequency tells you how many complete waves happen per second, whilst amplitude measures the maximum distance particles move from their resting position - bigger amplitude means more energy.
Wavelength is the distance between identical points on consecutive waves, and the period is how long one complete oscillation takes. These measurements are essential for wave calculations you'll encounter in exams.
Top Tip: Remember that frequency and period are inverses of each other - if frequency doubles, period halves!
