EDEXCEL IGCSE / CERTIFICATE IN PHYSICS 3-1

Properties of Waves
Edexcel IGCSE Physics pages 91 to 98
Content applying to Triple Science only is shown in
red type on the next slide and is indicated on
subsequent slides by ‘TRIPLE ONLY’

June 17th 2012

 Edexcel Specification
Section 3: Waves
b) Properties of Waves
understand the difference between longitudinal and transverse waves and describe
experiments to show longitudinal and transverse waves in, for example, ropes, springs
and water
define amplitude, frequency, wavelength and period of a wave
understand that waves transfer energy and information without transferring matter
know and use the relationship:
wave speed = frequency × wavelength v = f × λ
use the relationship: frequency = 1 / time period f=1/T
use the above relationships in different contexts including sound waves and
electromagnetic waves
understand that waves can be diffracted when they pass an edge
understand that waves can be diffracted through gaps,
and that the extent of diffraction depends on the wavelength and the physical dimension
of the gap.

Red type: Triple Science Only

 Waves
A wave is a means of transferring energy and
information from one point to another without there
being any transfer of matter between the two points.
 Transverse Waves
Transverse waves are waves vibrations
where the direction of vibrations
is at 90° to the direction in which
wave direction
the wave travels.

TRANSVERSE WAVE
example: water waves
 Longitudinal Waves
Longitudinal waves are vibrations
waves where the vibrations
of the particles are along the wave direction
direction in which the wave LONGITUDINAL WAVE
travels.

example: sound waves

longitudinal wave in slinky

 Describing Waves
1. Amplitude (A)
Amplitude is the maximum movement of the
particles that make up a wave from their rest
position.

amplitude

rest
position

amplitude

The amplitude is the height of a crest OR the depth of a trough

 2. Wavelength (λ)
Wavelength is the distance between one wave peak
and the next wave peak along the path of a wave.
Wavelength is measured in metres.
wavelength

wavelength

Wavelength is also the distance between the bottom of one

trough to the next.
 3. Frequency (f )
Frequency is the number of wave peaks that pass a
point in one second.

Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz)

1 Hz = 1 peak per second

2 Hz = 2 peaks per second and so on….

1 kilohertz (1kHz) = 1 000 Hz

1 megahertz (1MHz) = 1 000 000 Hz
1 gigahertz (1GHz) = 1 000 000 000 Hz
1 terahertz (1THz) = 1 000 000 000 000 Hz
 4. Time period (T )

Time period is the time taken for a source to

produce one wave.

time period = 1
T=1/f
frequency
and:
frequency = 1 f=1/T
time period
 Question 1
Calculate the frequency of a wave of time
period 8.0 seconds.

f=1/T
=1/8
frequency = 0.125 hertz
 Question 2
Calculate the time period of a wave of
frequency 50Hz.

T=1/f
= 1 / 50
time period = 0.020 second
 The wave equation
speed = frequency x wavelength
v=fxλ

speed in metres per second (m/s)

wavelength in metres (m)
frequency in hertz (Hz)

v
also: f=v÷λ
and: λ=v÷f f λ
 Question 1
Calculate the speed of a water wave of
wavelength 3m and frequency 6Hz.
v=fxλ
= 6Hz x 3m
speed = 18 m/s
 Question 2
Calculate the frequency of a wave in water of
wavelength 2.0m if its speed is 16m/s.
v=fxλ
becomes:
f=v÷λ
= 16 m/s ‚ 2m
frequency = 8 Hz
 Question 3
Calculate the wavelength of a sound wave in
water of frequency 300Hz if its speed is
1500m/s.
v=fxλ
becomes:
λ=v÷f
= 1500 m/s ‚ 300 Hz
wavelength = 5 metres
 Question 4
Calculate the speed of a wave that has a
wavelength of 30m and time period 0.04s.
f=1/T
= 1 / 0.04s
f = 25 hertz
v=fxλ
= 25Hz x 30m
speed = 750 m/s
 Answers
Complete:
v f λ
60 m/s 15 Hz 4m

330 m/s 165 Hz 2m

300 000 000 m/s 200 000 Hz 1 500 m

300 000 km/s 100 MHz 3m

TRIPLE ONLY

Diffraction
Diffraction occurs when waves spread out after
passing through a gap or round an obstacle.
Sea wave diffraction
TRIPLE ONLY

Diffraction becomes
more significant when
the size of the gap or
obstacle is reduced
compared with the
wavelength of the wave.
Choose appropriate words to fill in the gaps below:
A wave transfers _______
energy without the movement of _______
matter
from one place to another.
transverse wave the particle ____________
In a __________ vibrations are
perpendicular to the direction of wave travel.
Frequency is equal to the number of waves produced by a
source in one _________.
second Time period is equal to the
reciprocal
___________ of the frequency.
The speed of a wave in m/s is equal to its __________
wavelength in
metres multiplied by its __________
frequency in hertz.

WORD SELECTION:
frequency transverse reciprocal energy
second vibrations wavelength matter
 Online Simulations
Simple demonstration of longitudinal & transverse waves - Freezeway.com
Wave lab - shows simple transverse & longitudinal waves with reflection causing a
stationary wave - by eChalk
Wave Effects - PhET - Make waves with a dripping faucet, audio speaker, or laser! Add
a second source or a pair of slits to create an interference pattern. Also shows
diffraction.
Virtual Ripple Tank - falstad
Fifty-Fifty Game on Wave Types - by KT - Microsoft WORD
Simple transverse wave - netfirms
Simple longitudinal wave - netfirms
Simple wave comparision - amplitude, wavelength - 7stones
Fifty-Fifty Game on Wave Types - by KT - Microsoft WORD
Wave on a String - PhET - Watch a string vibrate in slow motion. Wiggle the end of the
string and make waves, or adjust the frequency and amplitude of an oscillator. Adjust
the damping and tension. The end can be fixed, loose, or open.
Vend diagram quiz comparing light and sound waves - eChalk
BBC AQA GCSE Bitesize Revision:
What are waves
Amplitude, wavelength and frequency
Wave speed
TRIPLE ONLY

Properties of Waves
Notes questions from pages 91 to 98
1. (a) What is a wave? (b) Explain the difference between a
transverse and longitudinal wave (see pages 91 and 92)
2. Define what is meant by (a) amplitude; (b) wavelength; (c)
frequency and (d) time period. (see pages 92 and 93)
3. (a) State the wave equation. (b) Calculate the wavelength of a
radio wave of frequency 10MHz, speed 300 000km/s.(see pages
93 and 94)
4. (a) What is wave diffraction? (b) Draw diagrams showing how
diffraction is affected by the wavelength of a wave. (see page 97)

5. Answer the questions on page 98.

6. Verify that you can do all of the items listed in the end of chapter
checklist on page 98.
DOUBLE ONLY

Properties of Waves
Notes questions from pages 91 to 98
1. (a) What is a wave? (b) Explain the difference between
a transverse and longitudinal wave (see pages 91 and
92)
2. Define what is meant by (a) amplitude; (b) wavelength;
(c) frequency and (d) time period. (see pages 92 and
93)
3. (a) State the wave equation. (b) Calculate the
wavelength of a radio wave of frequency 10MHz, speed
300 000km/s. (see pages 93 and 94)

4. Answer questions 1, 3 and 4 on page 98