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Physics

This document discusses key concepts about waves. It defines waves as disturbances that transfer energy through a medium in a repeating pattern. It describes the period, frequency, wavelength, amplitude, and speed of waves. It distinguishes between transverse waves, where particles vibrate perpendicular to the wave's direction, and longitudinal waves, where particles vibrate parallel to the direction. It also covers topics like reflection, refraction, interference, diffraction, and standing waves.

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Heather Simpson
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
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127 views

Physics

This document discusses key concepts about waves. It defines waves as disturbances that transfer energy through a medium in a repeating pattern. It describes the period, frequency, wavelength, amplitude, and speed of waves. It distinguishes between transverse waves, where particles vibrate perpendicular to the wave's direction, and longitudinal waves, where particles vibrate parallel to the direction. It also covers topics like reflection, refraction, interference, diffraction, and standing waves.

Uploaded by

Heather Simpson
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Physics - Waves 01/09/2011

o Waves transfer energy through a medium (unless electro magnetic)

o Medium : Material that transmits a wave

 Water, Air, Slinky, Rope

o Most waves are started by a vibration

o Periodic motion : an object that moves in a repetitive pattern

o In order to analyze periodic motion (waves, pendulums, things moving in

circles) we look at the smallest repeated part.

o Cycle : One completed vibration

o Period : (T) The time required for one complete vibration, wave or circle

o Symbol : T (uppercase, a special time, the time for one vibration)

o Frequency : (f) number of cycles per time period, usually the number of

waves which pass a point in a second. (measured in Hertz “Hz”)

o What is a wave?

o a disturbance which transfers energy through a medium

o repeats itself regularly in space and time and transmits

progressively from one particle to the next, without transporting

the matter.

o Pulse : a single disturbance

 Travelling Wave : a periodic disturbance

o What is a Mechanical Wave?

 Require a medium to travel through


 Other types like Electromagnetic waves that do not require a

medium

o What does the speed of the wave depend on?

 A property of the medium through which it travels

 Water waves = depth of water

 Sound waves = temperature of air

 Spring waves = mass per unit length

o What happens when a wave dampens?

 The energy in the wave is lessened, seen as the height or size of

the wave is reduced.

 NOTE: speed is not affected

Transverse Wave:

Wave Length

Direction of motion Crest

 Amplitude

Rest Position^

o Trough

Wavelength : The distance between two successive wave crests, The symbol

for wavelength is lambda (λ)

Crest : The high point of the wave


Trough : The low point of the wave

Amplitude : The distance from the rest position to either the crest or trough

 What is a transverse wave?

 a wave in which the particles of the medium vibrate perpendicular

to the direction of the wave.

 Ex: Water, Slinky

 Water waves are more appropriately called surface waves, vibrating

both parallel and perpendicular.

o What is a Longitudinal wave?

 A wave in which the particles of the medium vibrate parallel to the

direction the wave is travelling.

Wavelength Movement of air molecules

Compression Refraction (expansion)

o Natural Frequency : all objects have a natural frequency. The frequency

at which an object will vibrate freely.

o Resonance : A phenomena that occurs when energy is added to a

vibrating system at the frequency as its natural frequency. During

resonance, the amplitude of the vibrations of the object become very

large.
o Ex : shattering crystal glass, Tacoma narrows brigde

The Wave Equation:

o The waves we look at are travelling at a constant velocity

-> V=d/t distance the wave travels over time to travel that distance

-> V= λ/T wavelength over period

-> V=f λ frequency times wavelength

Wave Behaviors

The speed of a wave depends on the properties of its medium.

 Water Waves depend on the depth of the water

 Sound waves depend on the temperature of the air

 Rope/slinky waves depend on mass per unit length

* As long as the medium is the same, the speed will stay the same*

What happens when a wave changes media?

- If the media are quite similar, most of the wave is transmitted

- If the media are quite different, most of the wave is reflected

i) less dense to more dense = inverted

ii) more dense to less dense = erect

*Once a frequency has been established, it will not change even if the

medium changes*

Interference (Superposition)
Principle of superposition : the displacements of the medium caused by two

or more waves is the algebraic sum of the displacement caused by the

individual waves.

Constructive Interference: The wave displacements are either both crests or

both troughs

Destructive Interference: The wave displacements are opposites

-After the waves meet and interfere, they keep moving and resume theit

original form and direction.

Standing Waves

 a result of identical waves travelling in opposite directions at a frequency

where they interfere, constructively or destructively.

. . . .

Node

Antinode

Node: medium is not displaced, destructive interference.

Antinode: The maximum highest point

Reflection: when a wave or series of waves hits a barrier or obstacle, the

waves are turned back or “reflected”


i) if they hit a barrier straight on, they are reflected back along their

original path.

ii) If they hit on an angle, they are reflected back at that angle.

barrier

I= incident angle

I R R= reflected angle

Incident ray normal reflected ray

Law of Reflection : the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.

Diffraction : The spreading of waves around the edge of the barrier

- The smaller the wavelength in comparison to the size of the obstacle, the

less the diffraction.

Note : waves fill in the space behind the object due to diffraction

Refraction : the change in direction of waves at the boundary between two

different media due to different speeds

- a change in the depth of water results in a new speed and wavelength.

(frequency is constant) the wave may change direction


01/09/2011

o
01/09/2011

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