General waves properties

Wave:
A wave is a phenomenon, in which energy is transferred through vibrations.

Properties:
• The source of any wave is vibration
• Waves transfer energy from one point to another.
• In waves, energy is transferred without the medium being transferred.

How Waves Are Formed:

There are two ways to form a wave.

Waves Motion On A Rope:

• Fixing one end of the rope to a wall and moving the other end up and down
• These up and down movements produce vibrations.
• The rope waves travel towards the wall while the rope itself moves up and down.
• The kinetic energy from the up and down movement is transferred from one point to another.
• The rope itself however doesn’t move from one end to another.

Water Waves In A Ripple Tank:

• Water waves can be generated using a ripple tank
• A small dipper moves up and down
• The water particles at the surface are made to move up and down spreads to other parts of the
water surface.
• The kinetic energy is thus transferred to the water molecules at the surface.
• These water molecules in turn transfer to the neighboring water molecules.
• Though energy is passed but the water itself doesn’t move the dripler to the edges.

Types Of Waves:
Waves are of two types Transverse and Longitudinal.

Transverse Waves:

• Transverse waves are waves that travel in a direction perpendicular to the direction of vibration.
• Displacement of particles in transverse waves is perpendicular to the direction of travel of wave
motion.
• The highest point reached by a vibrating particle in a transverse wave is called crest or peak
while the lowest peak is trough.
• e.g. water, rope, electromagnetic waves

Longitudinal Waves:

• Longitudinal waves are waves that travel in a direction parallel to the direction of vibration.
• Displacement of the particles in longitudinal waves is in line with, or parallel to the direction of
wave motion.
• e.g. sound waves
Compression: Section where the vibrating particles in a longitudinal wave are closest together.
Rarefaction: Section where the vibrating particles are furthest apart.
Describing Waves:

Crests and Troughs: These are the highest and the lowest points of a transverse wave, respectively.
For longitudinal waves, the terms compression and rarefactions are used.
Phase: Any two points are said to be in phase when they move in the same direction and have the
same speed and in the same displacement from the rest position (e.g. These two points)
Wavelength( λ): This is the shortest distance between any two points in a wave that are in phase
such as two successive crests or troughs. The SI unit is metre (m).
Amplitude: This is the maximum displacement from the rest or centre position. It is the height of
crest or trough measured from the rest position.
Period (t): Time taken for one point on the wave to complete one oscillation. This can also be
written as the time taken, to complete one wave.
SI Unit is seconds(s)

On a displacement time graph one period = 1 sec

Frequency(f): This is the number of complete waves produced per second.

f=number of waves per unit time

The SI unit is Hertz.

Wave Speed (V): The distance of the wave moved in one second in the medium.
V=f ×λ
 SI unit: metre per second (ms-1)
Wavespeed = frequency × wavelength

Wave Front:
It is the imaginary line on a wave that joins all points that are in same phase. It is usually drawn by
joining down all the crests.

Plane dipper can produce plane waves in a ripple tank. Thus plane Wave fronts are seen.

Spherical dipper on the other hand can provide circular waves in a ripple tank. These types of waves
have circular Wave fronts.
Wave Production in the Ripple Tank

• In the laboratory, we can generate water waves using a ripple tank .To demonstrate wave
properties (such as reflection and refraction). We can produce plane waves by using a
straight dipper in a ripple tank (a). These waves will be seen as bright and dark lines on a
screen below the tray (b).

• The bright and dark lines correspond to the crests and troughs of the plane waves
respectively. The crests act as converging lenses that focus light, producing the bright
lines. The troughs act as diverging lenses that scatter light, producing the dark lines. The
depth at which the dipper is placed affects the amplitude of the waves, while the
frequency of waves is determined by the frequency of vibration of the dipper.
Reflection of Waves

• A straight barrier is placed at an angle to the straight dipper. You can see the waves
reflecting at equal angles to the normal(xi=xr)in the inset

Refraction of waves (bending effect of light)

• Refraction of waves and depth of ripple tank You can create a region of shallow water by
placing a sheet of plastic in the ripple tank. You will notice that the wavelength of the
plane waves shorten as they travel from deep to shallow water. The frequency, however,
remains unchanged, as it is determined by the dipper. Using the equation p= fλ, the speed
of waves is therefore slower at the shallow water.

Frequency(f) remains same.i.e.f2=f1.

Wavelength(λ) decreases i.e., λ2<λ1.

 Speed(V) decreases i.e.V2<V1.(v=f.λ)

Refraction of waves

Diffraction of waves
Diffraction of waves

P-Waves or Primary Waves (Pressure waves)

The P-wave (primary or pressure wave) is a pulse of energy that travels quickly through the earth
and through liquids. It forces the ground to move backwards and forwards as it is compressed and
expanded.

• P waves are longitudinal in nature

• P waves travel faster
• P waves move in a push-pull pattern
• P Waves travel through solids, liquids and gases, and cause less damage due to their smaller
size.
Primary waves are made up of compression waves, also known as push-pull waves. The
individual waves, therefore, push against one another, causing a constant parallel, straight
motion

S-Waves or Secondary Waves (Shear waves)

The S-wave (secondary or shear wave) follows more slowly, with a swaying, rolling motion that
shakes the ground back and forth perpendicular to the direction of the wave.

• S Waves are transverse in nature

• S Waves travel slower
• S Waves move in an up-and-down pattern
• S Waves travel only through solids, and cause more damage due to their greater size.
S waves are transverse waves, which means they vibrate up and down, perpendicular to the
motion of the wave as they travel. In an S wave, particles travel up and down and the wave
moves forward, like the image of a sine wave.
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