Physics Revision

What is a wave?

A wave is a disturbance which transfer energy without transferring matter.

Pulse- is a single disturbance

Wave Train- a repeating and period disturbance

Types of Waves

1. Transverse Waves
2. Longitudinal Waves

Transverse waves are waves in which the particles in the medium travel perpendicularly to the direction
of the wave motion. E.g. Light waves, heat waves (infrared radiation) and waves generated by shaking
the free end of a slinky from side to side.

Longitudinal Waves are waves in which the particles in the medium travel parallel to the direction of the
wave motion. E.g. sound waves and waves generated by the shaking the free end of a slinky back and
forth. Note: In longitudinal waves, the separation of waves is called rarefaction and the gathering of
waves is called compression.

What is Displacement?

Displacement is the distance moved by a particle from its resting position (equilibrium). Unit is metres
(m).

Amplitude- the maximum displacement moved by a particle from its resting position (equilibrium). Unit
is metres (m).

Wavelength is the distance between two successive (consecutive) crests and troughs or rarefaction and
compression in longitudinal waves. Unit is metres (m).

Crest- the maximum displacement of the wave particles in the positive direction.

Trough- the maximum displacement of the wave particles in the negative direction.

Frequency- the number of waves produced by the source per second. Unit is Hertz (Hz).

Period- the time taken to produce one complete wave cycle. Unit is seconds (s).

Note: Period and frequency are reciprocals of each other

T (Period) = 1/f (frequency)

Frequency (F) = 1/T (Period) or if period (time) is not given use Frequency (F) = wave speed (v)/lambda

Wave Speed- the distance travelled by the wave per second. Unit is m/s-1
Wave Speed= frequency times lambda

Wave Equation
Wave Speed, lambda, frequency

Wave
Speed (v)

Lambda Frequency
(side way T) (F)

Wave speed (v) = frequency times lambda

Lambda= wave speed/frequency

Frequency= wave speed/lambda

Wave Graphs
 Refraction
The bending of the path of the waves as they pass from one medium to another accompanied by
a change in speed and wavelength of the waves.
Refractive Index tells us how much something has slowed down.

Refractive index= sin i/sin r= v1/v2=0 (theta) 1/ 0 (theta)2

Practice Questions

1)

v) Period of the wave

 vi) Frequency of the wave
vii) Speed of the wave

2)

3)

Answers
1)
 v) Period (time taken to complete one cycle) = 4s (remember your
units)
Reason for my answer: It starts at 2 and complete one cycle at 6 so
you would subtract the 2 from 6 to get the period.

vi) Frequency (number of waves produced by a source per second) =

Formula= 1/T (Period) so ¼ or 0.25 Hertz (Hz)
Note: Remember period and frequency are reciprocals of each other
so it would be 1/f if we were finding period.
V11) wave speed (v) = frequency (f) times lambda
0.25 Hz times 2.5m
= 0.625 m/s-1
2) Given:
Frequency= 5.0*1014 Hz
Speed= 3.0*108 m/s-1
 Go back to the triangle above
Wavelength = wave speed (v)/ frequency (f)
= 3.0*108 m/s-1/ 5.0*1014

3) Given:
Wavelength= 0.2m
V1= 25m/s-1
V2=?
0 (theta)1= 50 degrees
0 (theta) 2=?
N= sin i/sin r = v1/v2= t (lambda)1/ t(lambda)2
First we find angle 0 (theta)2 so it’s sin i/sin r= t(lambda)1/t(lambda)2
Sin 50/sin r= 0.2(t1)/0.15(t2)
Explanation: You cross multiply so you’ll get sin50 times 0.15= sin r
times 0.2We are trying to find sin r so we have to get rid of 0.2 so it’s
multiplying sin r so we do the opposite operation to get rid of it and what
we do to one side, we do to another so you’ll end up with sin r= 0.77(sin
50) times 0.15/0.2. We are trying to find the angle so we bring sin over
the next side leaving r by itself and sin become the opposite which is sin
inverse (sin-1). On your calculator, press shift and then sin to get sin
inverse. Now you’ll have r= sin-10.77 times 0.15/0.2 which is equal to
35.5 (you can round off).
For V2, we do the same thing.
v1/v2= t(lambda)1/t(lambda)2
25m/s-1(v1)/v2= 0.2(t1)/ 0.15(t2)
Again you cross multiply so 25m/s-1 times 0.15= v2 times 0.2
We are trying to find v2 so we get rid of the 0.2. The 0.2 is multiplying
v2 so we do the opposite operation to get rid of it and what we do to one
side we do the other.
So v2= 25m/s-1 times 0.15/0.2
25 times 0.15 equal to 3.75
3.75/0.2= 18.75
So v2= 18.75 m/s-1