WAVES

ISABELLE JEDRA, GRACE RIEGEL, DOMINICK BAUERDICK

What is a wave?
A

wave is a disturbance that

carries energy from place to place.

wave does NOT carry matter with it

it just moves matter as it goes
through it.

Wave Properties
Wavelength
Wavelength

is the distance
between successive crests of a
wave, especially points in a
sound wave or electromagnetic
wave.

Amplitude
Amplitude

is the distance from the

rest position to the crest position
which is half the vertical distance
from a trough to a crest.

Crest And Trough

A

crest is a point on the wave where the

displacement of the medium is at a
maximum.

point on the wave is a trough if the

displacement of the medium at that
point is at a minimum.

Electromagnetic Waves
Electromagnetic

Waves are waves that can

travel through the vacuum of outer space.
Electromagnetic

waves are created by the

vibration of an electric charge.

Mechanical Waves

A mechanical wave is a wave that is not capable of

transmitting its energy through a vacuum

Mechanical waves require a medium in order to

transport their energy from one location to another.
A

sound wave is an example of a mechanical wave.

Sound waves are incapable of traveling through a
vacuum.

Longitudinal and Transverse

Waves
In longitudinal waves the displacement of the
medium is parallel to the propagation of the wave.
(A wave vibrating in the direction of propagation)

For transverse waves the displacement of the

medium is perpendicular to the direction of
propagation of the wave.

(A wave vibrating at right angles to the direction of its

propagation.)

CALCULATING WAVE SPEED

Calculating

wave speed uses the speed (v) of

a wave and its wavelength () and frequency
(f). Using the symbols v, , and f, the equation
can be rewritten as
v

=f