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1.1 Understanding Waves

A. What is Wave?

 Wave is a vibrating source which carries energy.

B. Types of Waves

Transverse Wave Longitudinal Waves

Particles in the medium vibrate Particles in the medium vibrate
PERPENDICULAR to the direction of PARALLEL to the direction of
propagation of the wave propagation of the wave

Example : Water waves, Light waves & Example : Sound waves

Electromagnetic waves

C. Wavefront

 The lines that join points along the crests or troughs of the waves.

Activity

Plane Wavefronts Circular Wavefronts

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What is One Complete Oscillation?

1. One complete oscillation of a pendulum occurs when the pendulum bob moves
one complete cycle A-B-C-B-A.

D. Amplitude, Period & Frequency

Amplitude, A Period, T Frequency, f

Maximum Time for One Number of Complete
displacement Complete Oscillation can be made in
Oscillation One second

**T is inversely
proportional to f
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Example

1. If a simple pendulum completes 25 oscillations in 50 seconds. What is the

period and frequency of oscillation?

2. Sketch a graph to show the relationship between period, T and f, frequency.

E. Displacement - Time Graph, Displacement - Distance Graph & Wave Speed

Displacement – Time Graph Displacement – Distance Graph

1. Label x- axis and y-axis 1. Label x- axis and y-axis

2. Determine the scale of x- axis and
y-axis by using the information given :
 Period, T = 2 s
(Time for one complete oscillation)
 Amplitude, A = 2 cm
(Maximum displacement)
2. Determine the scale x- axis and y-
axis by using the information given :
 Wavelength, λ = 2 cm
(Distance travelled in one complete
oscillation)
 Amplitude, A = 2 cm
(Maximum displacement)

3. Given that the speed of wave is 300 3. Given that the speed of wave is 300
cm s-1, By using v = f λ, find λ. cm s-1, By using v = f λ, find f.
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Activity
1. (a) Draw a s-t graph with :
Period, T = 3 s
Amplitude, A = 5 cm

2. (a) Draw a s-d graph with :

Wavength, λ = 3 cm
Amplitude, A = 5 cm
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F. Damping and Resonance

Damping
The decrease in amplitude of an
oscillation system.
** Frequency, f does not change
Resonance
The tendency of an oscillating
system to oscillate at maximum
amplitude
When its frequency = natural
frequency
**natural frequency is the rate at
which an object vibrates when it is
not disturbed by an external
force

Displacement - Time Graph Barton’s Pendulum

Amplitude - Time Graph - Pendulum X and D has equal

length and consequently
equal frequency
- Resonance happens on D,
and it oscillates at
maximum amplitude.

Activity
1. (a)Use the information given to construct a s-t graph.
Period = 2.4 s
Amplitude = 3 cm
(b) If the oscillating system undergoes damping (The decrease in amplitude
of
an oscillation system, f does not change), use dotted line to show the
damped
oscillation in the same graph in (a).
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Quiz

1. A simple pendulum completes 5 oscillations in 11.5 seconds

(a) Calculate the period and frequency of the pendulum.

(b) When no force applied, the pendulum oscillates with decreasing amplitude
and finally stops completely. Explain this observation

2. What is meant by a transverse waves and longitudinal waves? Give one

example of transverse and longitudinal waves.

Transverse wave Longitudinal wave

Definition

Example

3.

The figure shows a displacement – time graph of a wave. Determine

a) Amplitude and wavelength of the wave.

b) Frequency of the wave if the wave is moving with 80 cm s-1
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1.2 Analyzing Reflection of Waves

A. Reflection of waves

The phenomena of water wave can be observed using ripple tank.

1. The bright and dark bands of the wave pattern formed on the screen because
the surface of water acts as lenses.

2. The crest of water waves similar with convex lens and the trough of water
waves similar with concave lens.
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Frequency of the water wave = number of slits x frequency of the stroboscope

f=nfs

Activity

(a) Complete the light rays that pass through one of the crests to show how a
bright region is produced.

(b) Label λ for one distance which is equal to a wavelength of the water waves.

(c) If the frequency of the water wave decreased, what happens to :

(i) The wavelength of the water wave?

(ii) The speed of the water wave?

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Example

1. A stationary pattern of plane waves seen through a stroboscope with 6 slits

rotating at a frequency of 5 Hz. What is

(a) The frequency of the water wave

(b) The speed of the water wave if the wavelength of the wave is 0.5 cm.

2. State whether each of the following quantities changes/ remain constant after
the water waves reflected.

Quantity Changes / Remain Constant

1. Frequency

2. Speed

3. Wavelength
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1.3 Analyzing Refraction of Waves

A. Refraction of Water Waves

1. Water travels faster in deep water and slower in shallow water.

2. Therefore, the wavelength of water waves in deep water is bigger than the
wavelength in shallow water.

3. Characteristics of refracted waves.

To Deep Water
Wave speed, v Faster
Wavelength, Longer
Frequency, f Unchanged

4. When traveling from deep to shallow, the waves refract towards normal
5. When traveling from shallow to deep, the waves refract away from normal
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B. Refraction of Sea Waves

 Wave energy converging at cape, and cause the Amplitude to increase.

 Wave energy diverging at bay, and cause the Amplitude to reduce.
 Water at bay is calmer
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The figure shows water waves from the sea advancing towards a bay and a cape.

a) Why are the speed and wavelength of waves in the middle of the sea almost
uniform?

b) Why do the distances between the wavefronts decrease as the waves

approach the beach?

c) Why the water in the bay stationary compared at the cape?

Suggested answers :

a) The depth of the water in the middle of the sea is almost uniform.

b) On approaching the beach, the depth of the water decreases. The speed of the

waves decrease and the wavelength is decreased.

c) The depth of the of the water varies across the area of the bay and the energy
of the water wave spreads to wider area as compared to the he region near the
cape.
(Refer to the figure above)
The amplitude of the water waves near the bay is low and hence the water at the
bay is comparatively still.

Example 2

A village intends to build a jetty. With the knowledge of the wave phenomenon,
explain the important features that need to be considered in the construction fo
the jetty. In your explanation, emphasize the following aspects :

Aspect Explanation
Design and structure of
the seawall/retaining wall
 Retaining wall with slit
 To produce an effective diffraction.
 The water waves can be diffracted
effectively. The amplitude and energy of
the water waves can be reduced after
passing through the retaining wall
 Concrete retaining wall
 The wall is strong to withstand the impact
of the strong water waves.
 Will not easily collapse or crack.

Location of the jetty  Bay

 Waves are calmer at bay
 Water waves diverge and spread wider at
bay
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 So the amplitude of the waves is smaller at

bay.
The energy of the waves  Smaller at bay
 Water waves diverge and spread wider at
bay
 Water waves converge and at cape

C. Refraction of Sound Waves
Day
In the day, the air above the ground is
hotter than the air higher in the
atmosphere.
As sound travels from hot air to cold
air, its speed decreases and refracts
towards normal;
Hence the sound wave curves
upwards.
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Night
At night, the air above the ground is
colder than the air higher in the
atmosphere.
As sound travels from cold air to hot
air, its speed increases until a point
where the angle of incidence is
greater than the critical angle(i>c)
and total internal reflection occurs;
Hence the sound wave curves
downwards.
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Activity

Complete the diagram

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1.4 Analyzing Diffraction of Waves

A. Diffraction of Waves

1. Diffraction is a phenomenon which waves spread out as they pass through an

aperture or an obstacle.

An aperture An Obstacle

Factors affecting the Magnitude of Diffraction - Wavelength

-Shorter Wavelength -Longer Wavelength

-Diffracted Less -Diffracted More

Factors affecting the Magnitude of Diffraction – Size of Slit

-Small Slit -Large Slit

-Diffracted More -Diffracted Less
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2. Characteristics of diffracted waves

 Frequency, Wavelength and Speed unchanged

 Direction of propagation and pattern of waves change

B. Diffraction of Light waves

1. The diffraction of light waves occurs when the light waves pass through a
small slit or small pin hole.

Small Pin Hole Small Slit

Experiment 1
Effect of the size of slit on diffraction pattern

Conclusion:
The smaller the size of the
slit, the greater the
effect of diffraction.
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Experiment 2
Effect of the colour of light on diffraction pattern

Conclusion:
The longer the wavelength, the greater the effect of diffraction.
(Red light has longer wavelength while purple light has shortest
wavelength.)
C. Diffraction of Sound waves

The street cleaner can hear

the sound of the radio
even though it is behind an
obstacle.

The sound of the radio

spreads around the corner
of the wall due to
diffraction of sound wave.
Sounds diffract readily due
to its long wavelengths
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1.5 Analyzing Interference of waves

A. Principle of Superposition of Waves

The principle of superposition states that where two or more waves meet,
the total displacement at any point is the vector sum of the displacements that
each individual wave would cause at that point.

Superposition of Two Crests Superposition of a Crest and a

Trough

CONSTRUCTIVE DESTRUCTIVE
Superposition of Two Troughs

CONSTRUCTIVE
2. Coherent sources are sources that emit waves with the same frequency and
in phase.
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Activity

Crest
Trough - - - - - - - - -
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 An anti-node is a point of maximum

1. Label nodes with * amplitude where constructive
interference occurs.
2. Label antinodes with •
 A node is point of zero amplitude where
3. Draw nodal lines and antinodal destructive interference occurs.
lines
 The antinodal line joins all anti-node
points.

 The nodal line joins all node points

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A. Interference of Water waves

B. Interference of Light waves

Young’s Double Slit

 Bright and Dark fringes formed
 Bright fringes formed by Constructive interference
 Dark fringes formed by Destructive interference
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B. Interference of Sound waves

Activity

Complete the interference of sound waves diagram:

- Draw the coherent sources and label

- Label loud sound with L and soft sound with S.

- Label a (distances between 2 wave sources), D (distance from the wave sources
to x) and x (distance between two successive antinode or node line)
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Example :

(a) What is meant by monochromatic?

(b) What are coherent sources?

(c) Underline the correct answer

Light wave is a (transverse, longitudinal) wave

(d) The bright fringes formed are the results of two phenomena of wave. Name
those phenomena.

(i)

(ii)

(e) Calculate the wavelength of red light and blue light respectively

Red light Blue light

1.6 Analyzing Sound waves

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A. Characteristics of Sound waves

 Longitudinal waves
 Produced by compression and rarefactions of the air molecules
 Cannot travel in vacuum because there is no material to transfer
compression
 Travel fastest in solids, and slowest in gases.

Loudness Pitch
Depends on Amplitude Depends on Frequency

B. Application of Sound waves

1. Locating an object under water

 SONAR (Sound Navigation and Ranging used to detect underwater objects

and determine the depth of water.
 The distance between two objects can be determined using the formula
d=
d= distance
t = time interval between emitted sound wave and reflected sound wave
v = speed of sound wave

2. Disintegration of Kidney Stones

 Sound waves of high energy are directed to the kidney stones to destroy
them.

3. Cleaning with Ultrasonic waves

 High frequency sound waves are used to dislodge dirt particles adhering
to jewellery.
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Example

1. A SONAR receiver sent vertically downwards from a ship is reflected from the
ocean floor and detected 0.8 s after the transmission. If speed of sound in water
is 1500 ms-1, what is the depth of the ocean?
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1.7 Analyzing Electromagnetic waves

Definition

 Electromagnetic waves are transverse waves which consist of oscillating

electric field and magnetic field

Characteristics of Electromagnetic waves

 Transverse waves
 Can travel through vacuum, at speed of light 3.0 x 108 ms-1
 Obey the wave equation v = f λ
 The waves are neutral
 Undergoes the same phenomena as light : reflection, refraction,
diffraction and interference

Electromagnetic Waves Application

1. Radio Wave - Telecommunication
(Highest λ, Lowest f) - Broadcasting : Radio and Television
transmission
2. Microwave - Satellite transmission
- Radar system
- Cooking
3. Infrared - Night vision
- Remote controls
4. Visible Light - Sight
-Photosynthesis
5. Ultraviolet -Production of fluorescent effect
-Sterilization to destroy germs
-Pest control
6. X-Ray -Radiotherapy
-Detection of cracks in building
structure
7. Gamma Ray - Cancer treatment
(Highest f, Lowest λ) -Sterilization of equipment
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Quiz

1. Arrange the following electromagnetic waves in order of increasing

frequencies

Infrared radiation, X-rays, Radio waves, Ultraviolet, Visible light

2. State 2 differences between electromagnetic waves and sound waves.

Electromagnetic waves Differences Sound waves

3. The figure shows an electromagnetic spectrum.

K L Ultraviolet M N Microwave

What are waves K, L, M and N?

K L M N
A X-ray Gamma ray Infrared Visible light
B Gamma ray X-ray Visible light Infrared
C X-ray Visible light Infrared Radio wave
D Gamma ray Visible light Radio wave Infrared