Transverse Wave Motion

Transverse wave motion

If the particles of the medium vibrate perpendicular to the direction of the propagation of the wave, then the
wave motion is called transverse wave motion. These waves can propagate through solids and liquids but not
through gases, because gases do not possess elastic properties. Examples of these waves are: vibrations in
strings, ripples on water surface and electromagnetic waves.

Properties of transverse wave
1. The particles of medium vibrate perpendicularly to the direction of the propagation of wave.
2. The velocity of each particle is maximum at mean position and zero at extreme position.
3 .All the particles in the medium has same amplitude, frequency and time period.
4. Different particles in the medium have different displacement at any instant of time.

Longitudinal wave motion
If the particles of the medium vibrate to the direction of the propagation of the wave, then the wave motion is
called longitudinal wave motion. Examples: sound wave Longitudinal waves travel through the medium with the
compression and rarefaction. The compression is the region where volume decreases and consequent
increase in density and pressure of the medium and in rarefaction there is increase in volume with consequent
decrease in density and pressure. Due to the variation in pressure at different region in the medium longitudinal
waves are called pressure waves.

Properties of Longitudinal wave
1. The particles of the medium vibrate to the direction of the propagation of the wave.
2. The velocity of each particle is maximum at mean position and zero at extreme position.
3 All the particles in the medium have same amplitude, frequency and time period.
4. All the particles in phase are at distance equal to nλ where n=1, 2, 3 and λ is the wavelength

Superposition of waves
It states that “when two or more than two progressive waves travel in a medium through any point at the same
time the net displacement at that point is equal to the vector sum of the individual displacements of the waves
at that point”.
The principle of superposition of waves can be explained as:
a. When two waves having same frequency travelling in the same direction meet each other, constructive
interference is formed.
b. If there are number of waves, they travel independently and characteristics of the wave remain unchanged.
c. The resultant intensity at any point in the medium is not equal to sum of intensity of the two waves .In
constructive interference , the total intensity is greater than sum of intensities of individual waves whereas in
destructive interference the total intensities is less than the sum of individual intensities.
d. Beats are formed when two waves differing in frequency are superimposed.

Interference of waves
Interference is the superposition of two waves of the same frequency travelling in the same direction.

Progressive and stationery waves
Progressive wave or travelling wave
A wave in which crests and trough (in transverse wave) or compression and rarefaction(in longitudinal waves
) travel forward direction is called progressive wave.
Consider a particle O at origin in the medium. The displacement at any instant of time is given
byy=Asinwt…………..1
Where A is the amplitude, ω is the angular frequency of the wave. Consider a particle P at a distance x from
the particle O on its right. Let the wave travel with a velocity v from left to right. Since it takes some time for the
disturbance to reach P, its displacement can be written as
y=A sin (ωt - ɸ)……….2
Where ɸ is the phase difference between the particles O and P
Hence a path difference of x corresponds to a phase difference of 2πx/λ=ɸ
Substituting the value of the ɸ in equation 2
We get,
y=A sin (ωt -2πx/λ)…………….3
Since we have ω=2π/T=2πf
y=Asin{2πtT−2πxλ}y=Asin{2πtT−2πxλ}
y=Asin2πλ{vt−x}y=Asin2πλ{vt−x} ………4
Similarly, for a particle at a distance x to the left of O, the equation for the displacement is given
byy=Asin2πλ{vt−x}y=Asin2πλ{vt−x}
If the wave travels from right to left in negative x-axis then the equation for the displacement is given by
y=Asin2πλ{vt+x}y=Asin2πλ{vt+x} ……5
This is the expression of the progressive wave equation.

Stationery waves or standing wave
When two progressive waves of the same wavelength and same amplitude travelling with a same speed in
opposite direction to each other in a medium are superposed they give rise to wave called stationary wave
or standing wave. These waves are called stationery because they seem to be remained stationery and there
is no net transfer of the energy.
The superposition of two waves results in the points such that there is no displacement a (i.e amplitude of
vibration) a point called nodes and maximum displacement occurs at the point called antinodes.
Property of stationery waves are:
a. Waves do not transmit energy.
b. In these waves, amplitude of vibration is maximum at antinodes and minimum at nodes.
c. Variation in pressure and density is maximum at nodes and minimum at antinodes.
d. Waves remain stationery between the boundaries.
e. All points between two successive notes vibrate simultaneously.
f. The distant between two adjacent nodes or antinodes is λ/2 and the distance between adjacent nodes and
antinodes is λ/4
g.The wave profile doesn’t move in the direction of propagation.

Consider the progressive wave of wavelength amplitude a and velocity v travelling along the positive x-axis
Displacement at any point is given by
y1y1=asin2πλ(vt−x)sin⁡2πλ(vt−x)
Where y1y1is displacement at time t
x is distance of the particle from the origin.
Again consider the another wave travelling in opposite direction with the same velocity v and amplitude a in
negative x -axis .
y2y2=a sin2πλ(vt+x)sin⁡2πλ(vt+x)
Resultant displacement of such wave is given by
Y=y1Y=y1+y2y2

= asin2πλ(vt−x)sin2πλ(vt−x) + a sin2πλ(vt+x)sin⁡2πλ(vt+x) [
since, sinAsin⁡A +sinBsin⁡B= 2sinA+B22sin⁡A+B2cosA−B2cos⁡A−B2 ]
=2asin2πvtλcos2πxλsin2πvtλcos⁡2πxλ
=2a sinwtcoskxsin⁡wtcos⁡kx[since,2πvλ=2πf=w][since,2πvλ=2πf=w]&2πλ2πλ=k where k is propagation
constant.

Transverse Wave Motion

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