Revision/Waves Teacher.

Hamid Bentai

Mechanical waves: - A disturbance that travels through a medium carrying energy without
matter transfer.
- The dimensions of the mechanical wave are the dimensions of the medium.
- Transverse wave: directions of propagation and disturbance are
perpendicular. i.e string wave; water wave.
- Longitudinal wave: directions of propagation and disturbance are parallel. i.e
sound wave.
- The speed of the propagation depends only on the medium (if the medium
changes speed changes as well).
𝑀𝑀′
- Delay 𝜏 = ∆𝑡

Periodic waves: - Spatial periodicity: Wavelength λ (in meter m)

1
- Temporal periodicity: Period T (in second s) /Frequency 𝑁 =𝑇 (in Hertz Hz)

-
λ
- The speed 𝑣 = 𝑇 = λ. N
- A special case: Sinusoidal wave ( it is modeled by a sine function)
- Diffraction: the wave spreads out past small openings without changing its
characteristics.
- A dispersive medium: is a medium in which waves travel at different
velocities when the frequency of the waves changes.

Light wave: - Light diffracts.

- Light is a transverse Electromagnetic wave.

λ L
- When a monochromatic light diffracts θ=a , θ = 2D where L is
the diameter of the central bright spot.
- Smaller is a bigger is θ and L / smaller is λ smaller is θ andL.
- Light speed in vacuum or air c = 3x108 m/s.
- 𝑐 = λ. ν Where λ is the wavelength, and ν is the frequency of the
monochromatic light in Hz.
- Light speed in a different medium 𝑣 < 𝑐
- Each color is characterised by a frequency ν.
𝑐
- Refractive index: 𝑛 = ≥ 1
𝑣
- Dispersive medium: when 𝑛 changes with frequencies.