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1.1, 1.2,1.3 Wave
1.1, 1.2,1.3 Wave
0 WAVES
1.1 UNDERSTANDING WAVES
WAVES
Cause by vibrations or oscillations.
Transport energy without permanently
displacing the medium.
Can either be a Mechanical waves which
require a medium to travel eg. Sound wave
or Electromagnetic waves which do not
require a medium to travel.
There are two types of waves:
Transverse Waves:
The vibration of the particles of the
medium is perpendicular (up and
down ) to the motion of the wave.
eg. Water waves,rope waves and
waves on springs.
Longitudinal Waves:
The vibration of the particles of the
medium is along the same direction
as the motion of the wave.
eg.Waves on springs and sound
waves.
Direction of oscillations
Direction of wave
Direction of oscillations
Direction of wave
Oscillations are at
right angles to
direction of motion
In longitudinal
waves,particles oscillate
along line of wave
Push
C
Right
Crest
Direction
of
vibration
Pull
Direction of wave motion of a slinky.
Trough
Left
C- Compression,
R- Rarefactions
Activity 1.1 a :
1. If the vibrations of a wave are at right angles to the direction of the wave, it is called a
wave.An example of this type of wave is
2. If the vibrations of a wave are along the direction of the wave, it is called a
wave. An example of this type of wave is
3. Given a string tied to a pole, how would you shake the string in order to produce :
(a) a transverse wave?
WAVEFRONTS
An imaginary line representing all the points of a wave that are in the same phase.
For example a wavefront can be drawn by joining all the crests of a wave.
The direction of wave travel is always perpendicular to the wavefront.
Figures below show how circular wavefronts and plane wavefronts are produced.
Circular Wavefronts
Plane Wavefronts
of the wave.If
to the
of the waves.
3. Draw the direction of propagation of wave for each of the following wavefronts.
a)
b)
DESCRIBING WAVES
MOTION
Oscillations of
A loaded spring and a pendulum
Upwards
Downwards
Displacement/m
Crest
Crest
+A
Amplitude A
Distance/m
Amplitude -A
-B
Trough
Term
Symbol
Amplitude
Wavelength
Explanations
The maximum displacement of the oscillator from its equilibrium position.
Distance between any two successive wave crests,troughs or points which
are in phase.
Crests and
troughs
High points and low points that characterize transverse waves only.
DISPLACEMENT-TIME GRAPH
Displacement/m
T
Q
+a
a
Mean
R
Position
Time/s
-a
Positive
displacement
Negative
displacement
Term
Period
Frequency
Symbol
T
f
Unit
Explanation
Second(s) The time required for one complete cycle.
Hertz(Hz) The number of complete cycles per second
f=
Displacement
1
T
and
T=
1
f
Amplitud
Amplitud
Distance
In one period (T), a crest will have moved a distance of one wavelength ().
Therefore the speed of the wave, v is given by:
V=
(but
1
= f)
T
Worked example 1:
V=
0.3m
The above figure shows waves moving on a slinky with frequency 3 Hz and a wavelength of 0.3m.What is
the wave speed?
Given frequency of wave, f = 3 Hz
Wavelength of wave,
= 0.3 m
The wave speed
v = f
= (3)(0.3)
= 0.9 ms-1
Actvity 1 .1(c) :
1. The wavelength of a wave is the
or
.
oscillations made in
second
multiplied by
4. The time taken for a vibrating system to make a complete oscillation is known as
and =
Therefore f =
1
T
=
By using the formula v = f
Therefore
v=
8. Sketch a displacement-distance graph for a wave, showing two complete oscillations.On your graph,
mark:
(a) The wavelength of the wave,
(b) The amplitude of the wave
Z
Y
A Simple Pendulum
Displacement x/cm
a1
a2
a3
a4
Time/s
a1>a2> a3> a4
Damping occurs if a vibrating system gradually loses its
energy in overcoming resistance to its motion and will
eventually stop vibrating.Decreasing amplitude is due to
energy loss.
Example:
An empty swing that is swinging will eventually come to a stop after sometime if it is not
pushed.
RESONANCE
Natural
frequency:
The frequency
that an object
tends to
oscillate at when
disturbed by an
external force.
Forced
Oscillation:
An oscillation
caused by
external force
acting on the
system.
Resonance: A phenomenon
that happens when a
vibration system is forced to
vibrate with its natural
frequency.
l1
x
Resonance:
Can be observed using a
Bartons Pendulum.The Driving
Pendulum forces six pendulums
of different lengths to vibrate.
l2
l3
l4
l5
l6
Driving pendulum
Bartons Pendulum :
Each of the six pendulum
has its natural
frequency.The pendulum
that vibrates with the
largest amplitude is said
to be in resonance with
the driving pendulum.
Example:
If an Opera sings at the same frequency as the natural frequency of a glass, the glass tends
to absorb more and more energy and eventually will break.
TRUE STORY
On the morning of November 7, 1940, the four month old Tacoma Narrows Bridge began to oscillate
dangerously up and down. A reporter drove out on the bridge with his cocker spaniel in the car. The bridge
was heaving so violently that he had to abandon his car and crawl back to safety on his hands and knees.
At about 11:00 the bridge tore itself apart and collapsed. It had been designed for winds of 120 mph and
yet a wind of only 42 mph caused it to collapse. How could this happen? No one knows exactly why.
However, the experts do agree that somehow the wind caused the bridge to resonate. It was a shocking
calamity although the only loss of life was the cocker spaniel.
2. Explain what happens to a vibrating system after it is allowed to vibrate over a long period of time.
3. Resonance occurs when the applied
4. If two strings on the same guitar are tuned to exactly the same frequency and one of them is plucked,
a) What will happen to the other string?
5.Sketched the displacement time graph for a vibrating system that is experiencing:
a) Very slightly damping.
Displacement
Time
Time
ASSESSMENTS.
OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS.
1.Which of the graph shown below represents a
wave of an amplitude 2.0 cm and frequency 20
Hz?
B
P
B energy
D force
C 0.132 m
D 7.58 m
E 6.7 m
8. The incidents listed below involve resonance
except :
A A glass will break when a Soprano sings
infront of it.
B Certain parts of a bus vibrated as the bus
moves.
C An egg breaks as it falls down on a floor.
10. Which of the following produces longitudinal
waves?
Displacement
Time
10
STRUCTURED QUESTION.
Q1. A wave source of frequency 1000 Hz emits waves length 0.10 m.How long does it take for the waves
to travel 2500 m ?
Q2. Figure below shows a student setting up waves on a long lastic cord.The students hand makes one
Complete up-and-down movement in 0.40 s, and in each up-and-down movement the hand moves
Through a height of 0.30 m. The wavelength of the waves on the string is 0.80 m.
0.3 m
Q3(a) Figure below shows the graph of the variation of the displacement of a wave with distance along the
wave at a particular time.
Displacement
(m)
0.6
Distance/m
10
-0.6
11
(b)Figure below shows the graph of the variation of the displacement of the same wave with time at a
part
displacement/m
0.6
time/s
0
2.5
-0.6
(ii)
(c) Calculate the speed of the wave drawn in the above figures.
12
1.2
WATER WAVES
Incident wavefronts
Reflected rays
Incident rays
Reflected
wavefronts
Normal
Direction of reflected
wave
LIGHT WAVES
Reflected light ray
Incident light ray
SOUND WAVES
Stop
watch
Ear
Soft surface to absorb
sound wave.
13
LAWS OF REFLECTION
1. The incident ray, the reflected ray and the normal all lie in the same plane.
2. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection, i.e. i = r.
Frequency f
Wavelength
ASSESSMENT 1.2.
1.The diagram shows a light ray with an incident angle of 5 being reflected by a plane mirror MN. The
mirror is then rotated clockwise through an angle of 15.
15
14
STRUCTURED QUESTION.
1. When a wave is reflected from a plane surface, the angle of
angle of
is equal to the
2.If a ray of light strikes a plane surface at an angle of 45 to the normal, the angle of the reflected ray to
the normal is
3. Sometimes while hiking, you may be able to hear your shout being reflected from a cliff. What is this
effect known as, and what causes this to happen ?
4. Draw a diagram to show how a plane mirror reflects light waves from a lamp placed infront of it.
(Follow the instructions listed below)
(a) Draw a straight line perpendicular to the incident wavefronts to show the line
of propagation of the wave.Show the direction of propagation.
(b) Draw a dotted line which is perpendicular to the plane mirror to indicate the
normal.
(c) By using a protractor measure the angle of incidence i.
(d) Then draw a line which is at an angle r from normal to represents the direction
of propagation of reflected light waves.Note that i = r.
(e) Draw straight dotted lines representing the reflected wavefronts which are
perpendicular to the line drawn in (d).
Incident wavefronts
Plane
mirror
Lamp
15
ANSWER KEY.
Activity 1.1 (a)
1.transverse wave, water wave.
2.longitudinal wave, sound wave.
3.(a) shake the spring from side to side.
(b)shake the spring forward and backward.
4. Energy in a transverse wave travels in a direction that is perpendicular to the direction of the
vibrations.But energy in a longitudinal wave travels along the direction parallel to the direction
of the vibrations.
Activity 1.1(b)
1.in phase, wavefronts, plane wavefronts,circular wavefronts.
2.(a) perpendicular, wavefronts.
(b)
Activity 1.1(c)
1.distance, crests, troughs, meter.
2.complete, one, hertz.
3. frequency, wavelength.
4. period
5. frequency.
6. speed of wave
7. 300 cms-1
8. displacement/cm
Period T
Displacement/cm
amplitud
amplitud
Distance/cm
Time/s
Frequency f =
Activity 1.1 (d)
1.length,mass of bob.
2.The vibrations will slow down and the amplitude will decrease.
3. frequency, natural frequency.
4.(a) It will vibrate with a maximum amplitude.
(b) Resonance
5.
16
1
T
ASSESSMENT.1.1
OBJECTIVE:
1
A
3
B
5
D
7
C
9
D
2
4
6
8
10
C
C
C
C
A
STRUCTURED QUESTIONS.
1.Speed of wave, v =
d
t
= f
Therefore
t =
d
2500
=
= 25 s
f (1000)(0.10)
0.3
= = 0.15 m
2
1
1
(b) Frequency =
=
=2.5 Hz
period 0.4
2.(a) Amplitude =
Incident wavefronts
Plane
mirror
Lamp
i
r
17