Introduction to physics

PHYS-120
By : Aisha Al Rifaii

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Introduction to physics
PHYS-120

University Requirements (3 Credits)

Lecture: 1 Tutorial: 0 Laboratory: 0

Monday
2:00 – 5:00

Room:B212
a.rifaii@bau.edu.lb

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 WEIGHING OF ASSESSMENTS

Attendance (5%)

Participation and individual homework \project (10%)

Exams: Assessment 1 (25%) +Assessment 2 (20%) + Final (40%)

(week 6 – week 11- week 14)

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 COURSE OUTLINE

• Unit 1: Waves and wave motion

• Unit 2: Sound waves
• Unit 3: Electromagnetic waves and colors
• Unit 4: Nature of light
• Unit 5: Atomic structure
• Unit 6 : Photons( +level of atom)
• Unit 7: Interference of light
• Unit 8: Diffraction of light
• Unit 9: Polarization of X- rays
• Unit 10: Photoelectric effect
• Unit 11:Geometric optics( reflection- refraction- Lenses) 4
UNIT 1: Waves and Wave
motion
By : Aisha Al Rifaii

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 OUTLINE OF THE UNIT

• Wave Definition
• Types of waves
• Transverse and longitudinal waves
• Wavelength and frequency

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 WHAT IS A WAVE

• A wave can be described as disturbance that travels

through a medium from one location to another
location ( water waves)
• A medium is a substance or material which carries the
wave from one location to the other. ( Air, String,
Earth)

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 TYPES OF WAVES

1- Mechanical waves
2- Electromagnetic waves
3- Matter waves

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 TYPES OF WAVES

1- Mechanical waves:
• These waves are most familiar because we
encounter them almost constantly.
• Common example: water waves, sound waves
and seismic waves (waves caused by sudden
motion of material within earth)
• All these waves have two central features: they
are governed by newton’s laws, and they can
exist only within a material medium, such as
water, air, and rock.

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 TYPES OF WAVES

2- Electromagnetic waves:
• These waves are less familiar, but you can use them constantly
• Common example: visible and ultraviolet light, radio and
television, microwaves, x- rays and radar waves
• These waves does not require material medium to exist.( light
from stars, travel through vacuum )
• All electromagnetic waves travel through a vacuum at the same
speed c = 3 x108 m/s.

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11
 TYPES OF WAVES

3- Matter waves:
• These waves are commonly used in modern
technology
• These waves are associated wit electrons, protons,
and other fundamental particles, even atoms and
molecules.

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 TRANSVERSE AND
LONGITUDINAL WAVES

• Transverse and longitudinal waves are

wave forms (shapes of the waves)
• Transverse wave: when the
displacement is perpendicular to the to
direction of travel (propagation) of the
wave. (up and down with respect to the
direction of motion)

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 TRANSVERSE AND
LONGITUDINAL WAVES

• Longitudinal wave: The motion of

elements is parallel to the direction of
travel (propagation) of waves travel.
• Both waves are said to be traveling
waves since both travel from one point to
the other.( from one end to the other end)

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 TRANSVERSE AND
LONGITUDINAL WAVES

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 WAVELENGTH AND FREQUENCY

The Transverse sinusoidal

wave equation.

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 AMPLITUDE AND PHASE

• The amplitude is : ym which is the magnitude of the highest

displacement from the equilibrium position. (since it is
magnitude it always positive quantity)
• Phase: the argument kx-ωt of the sin.

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 WAVELENGTH AND ANGULAR
WAVE NUMBER

• Wavelength λ: is the distance between repetitions of

the shape on the wave. SI unit : m
2𝜋
• Angular wave number : k = SI unit: rad/m
𝜆

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 PERIOD, ANGULAR FREQUENCY,
AND FREQUENCY

• Period of oscillation T of a wave, it is the time needed to move

through on full oscillation.
2𝜋
• Angular frequency (ω) of the wave: ω = (SI unit : rad/sec)
𝑇
1
• Frequency f: is the number of oscillations per unit time. 𝑓 = (SI
𝑇
Unit: hertz Hz)

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 PHASE CONSTANT

• The phase constant φ. It can be chosen so that the function

give some other displacement
• The wave function:𝑦 = 𝑦𝑚 sin(𝑘𝑥 − 𝑤𝑡 + 𝜑)

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TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

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 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
(SOLUTION)

• We need from the phase on the first term (kx) since the graph is y in
function of x. From the first part, we get k ( angular wave number) then
we get the wavelength (λ)
2𝜋 2𝜋
a) 2x => k= 2 =>λ = = = 𝜋
𝑘 2
2𝜋 2𝜋 𝜋
b) 4x => k= 4 =>λ = = =
𝑘 4 2
2𝜋 2𝜋 𝜋
c) 2x => k= 8 =>λ = = =
𝑘 8 4

By comparison a ->2, b-> 3 and c->1

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