Waves

Waves - caused by disturbance/vibrations that travels through a

medium

Waves

Electromagnetic Can be Transverse

Mechanical Waves
Waves and Longtitudinal
Mechanical Waves - Causes medium to vibrate.

Transverse - Particles of the medium moves back and forth

perpendicular to the direction of the waves.
Crest Wavelength

Trough

Longitudinal Waves - Particles vibrate parallel to the direction of the

waves
(1 wavelength = compression - compression/ rarefaction -
rarefaction)

Wave Properties
Wavelength ⁁ - Distance between two successive identical parts of a
wave
Amplitude - Greatest displacement of the particles of a medium
from the rest position
 Waves
Frequency - number of waves that pass a given point in a certain
amount of time
- number of cycles per time

High pitch = High frequency Sound

20 - 20, 000 Hz - range of frequencies of sounds human can

produce

Hertz - measures
the number of wave
cycles (or
frequency) passing
through a given
point in a second

v
⁁=
f
V = Velocity (m/s)
F = Frequency (/s or Hz)
⁁= Wavelength (m)

Speed of wave - time it takes to travel

Wave - oscillation that travels

- has cycles (wavelength)
Wave pulse - short length wave
Period- time it takes for wave to complete it’s cycle
F = 1/T
Why learn waves?
Carry useful information/energy
 Waves
Motion and Interaction of Waves
*the shape of wave is determined by it’s wave front