Download - Waves
WAVESKinds and Properties
What are WAVES?
Wave is propagation of disturbance through a medium or space by which energy is transferred.
A single unrepeated disturbance is called wave pulse.
A succession of periodic disturbanceis called wave train.
Kinds of Waves
According to the direction of motion- transverse wave- longitudinal waves
According to the presence of medium- mechanical waves- electromagnetic waves
Transverse Waves are waves in which particles
move in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the waves
Longitudinal Waves are waves in which particles move in the
direction parallel to the direction of the waves.
Mechanical Wave requires a medium for the transport of energy medium can be in solid, liquid or gaseous
state examples: sound waves, earthquake/seismic
waves, tidal waves
Electromagnetic Wave
can transmit energy without material or medium
can move in an empty space examples: light waves, radio waves
Electromagnetic Wave
Electromagnetic Wave
Amplitude
Is the max distance that a wave will travel away from the rest position
Example, p. 12 In transverse waves the amplitude is
measured by the up and down motion (crest and trough)
In longitudinal waves the amplitude is measured by how compressed or rarefied the medium is (more compressions, the stronger the wave)
Wavelength
The distance between two corresponding parts of a wave is its wavelength Transverse waves are measured from crest
to crest or trough to trough Longitudinal are measured by the length of
the compressions
Frequency
Is the number of complete waves that pass a given point in an amount of time
Frequency can be increased and decreased
Frequency is measured in hertz Hertz are measured by waves per second Example, if a wave passes through a point
on a rope 2 times in one second, it would have a frequency of 2 Hz
Speed
Speed, wavelength, and frequency are all related Speed = Wavelength x Frequency
If you know two of the quantities in this formula you can solve for the other (just like Ohm’s law) Frequency = Speed/Wavelength Wavelength = Speed/Frequency