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Chapter 7: Problem 1

What is a wave? Explain the following terms associated with waves: wavelength, frequency, amplitude.

Short Answer

Expert verified
A wave is a disturbance that moves through a medium. Wavelength is the distance between two successive crests or troughs, frequency is the number of waves that pass a fixed point per second, and amplitude is the maximum displacement of particles of the medium from their mean position when a wave passes.

Step by step solution

01

Define Waves

A wave can be defined as a disturbance that travels through a medium from one location to another location. This could be in the form of sound waves in air, waves in water bodies, or electromagnetic waves.
02

Explanation of Wavelength

Wavelength refers to the distance between two successive crests or troughs in a wave. It is often denoted by the Greek letter lambda (\(\lambda\)). The measurement of wavelength could be in meters, centimeters, or millimeters, depending on the type of the wave.
03

Explanation of Frequency

Frequency is the number of waves that pass a fixed point in a unit of time. It is often measured in Hertz (Hz), where 1 Hz means one wave passing a point in one second. Frequency is denoted by the symbol \(f\).
04

Explanation of Amplitude

Amplitude is the maximum displacement of particles of the medium from their mean position when a wave passes through. It gives us an idea of the energy or intensity of the wave. In a graph, the amplitude could be determined by the distance from the rest position to the crest or trough. For a sound wave, it’s the volume, and for a light wave, it’s the brightness.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

$$ \begin{array}{lccccc} \lambda(\mathrm{nm}) & 405 & 435.8 & 480 & 520 & 577.7 \\ \hline \mathrm{KE}(\mathrm{J}) & 2.360 \times & 2.029 \times & 1.643 \times & 1.417 \times & 1.067 \times \\ & 10^{-19} & 10^{-19} & 10^{-19} & 10^{-19} & 10^{-19} \end{array} $$ A ruby laser produces radiation of wavelength \(633 \mathrm{nm}\) in pulses whose duration is \(1.00 \times 10^{-9} \mathrm{~s}\). (a) If the laser produces \(0.376 \mathrm{~J}\) of energy per pulse, how many photons are produced in each pulse? (b) Calculate the power (in watts) delivered by the laser per pulse. \((1 \mathrm{~W}=1 \mathrm{~J} / \mathrm{s})\)

Thermal neutrons move at speeds comparable to those of air molecules at room temperature. These neutrons are most effective in initiating a nuclear chain reaction among \({ }^{235} \mathrm{U}\) isotopes. Calculate the wavelength (in \(\mathrm{nm}\) ) associated with a beam of neutrons moving at \(7.00 \times 10^{2} \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s}\). (Mass of a neutron \(\left.=1.675 \times 10^{-27} \mathrm{~kg} .\right)\)

In an electron microscope, electrons are accelerated by passing them through a voltage difference. The kinetic energy thus acquired by the electrons is equal to the voltage times the charge on the electron. Thus, a voltage difference of \(1 \mathrm{~V}\) imparts a kinetic energy of \(1.602 \times 10^{-19} \mathrm{C} \times \mathrm{V}\) or \(1.602 \times\) \(10^{-19} \mathrm{~J}\). Calculate the wavelength associated with electrons accelerated by \(5.00 \times 10^{3} \mathrm{~V}\).

Calculate the total number of electrons that can occupy (a) one \(s\) orbital, (b) three \(p\) orbitals, (c) five \(d\) orbitals, (d) seven \(f\) orbitals.

The electron configurations described in this chapter all refer to gaseous atoms in their ground states. An atom may absorb a quantum of energy and promote one of its electrons to a higher-energy orbital. When this happens, we say that the atom is in an excited state. The electron configurations of some excited atoms are given. Identify these atoms and write their ground-state configurations: (a) \(1 s^{1} 2 s^{1}\) (b) \(1 s^{2} 2 s^{2} 2 p^{2} 3 d^{1}\) (c) \(1 s^{2} 2 s^{2} 2 p^{6} 4 s^{1}\) (d) \([\mathrm{Ar}] 4 s^{1} 3 d^{10} 4 p^{4}\) (e) \([\mathrm{Ne}] 3 s^{2} 3 p^{4} 3 d^{1}\)
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