Chapter 9:

Introduction to Waves

• Section 1: The Nature of Waves

• Section 2: Wave Properties

• The Behavior of Waves

 Section 1: The Nature of Waves

1.What is a wave?
• Wave – a repeating disturbance or movement that
transfers energy through matter or space
• Waves carry energy without transporting matter from
place to place
• A wave will travel only as long as it has energy to carry
 
2. Mechanical waves – waves that can only travel through
matter
• Medium – the matter through which a mechanical wave
can travel
• The medium can be either a solid, liquid, or gas
• Two types of mechanical waves:
 Transverse wave – the matter in the medium moves at
right angles to the direction the wave is traveling
example: a wave traveling through water
 Compressional wave – the matter in the medium
moves parallel to the direction the wave is traveling
example: a sound wave
 Section 2: Wave Properties

Describing Waves

Crests
Wavelength

rest
position

Amplitude

Troughs

Characteristics of a Transverse Wave

Wavelength Compressions

Rarefactions

Characteristics of a Compressional Wave

 Section 2: Wave Properties

Properties of Waves
• Wavelength () – distance between one point on one wave
and the nearest point just like it on the following wave
 Units: distance units, usually meter
• Frequency (f) – how many wave lengths pas a fixed point
each second
 Units: either /second (waves or cycles/second) or hertzs
(Hz)
 Note: frequency is always reported in hertz (Hz), during
math computations that unit is converted to /s (per
second)
 Relationship between wavelength and frequency: as
frequency increases, wavelength decreases
• Period (T) – time required for one wave to pass a fixed point
 Unit: second
 Relationship between period and frequency: the
frequency of a wave is the inverse of the wave’s period,
and vice-versa: f = 1 , and T = 1
T f
 Section 2: Wave Properties

• Wave speed (v) – the product of wavelength and frequency

 Wave speed = wavelength x frequency, or: v = f
Example: a wave has a length of 0.25-m, and a frequency of
50-Hz. What is its speed?
Solution λ = 0.25m
f= 50.0 Hz = 50/s
v= ?

• Amplitude – a measure of the energy in a wave

 The greater the amplitude, the greater the energy
 In a compressional wave the amplitude is related to how
tightly the particles in the medium are pushed together at
the compressions and how far apart they in rarefaction
 In a transverse wave the farther the wave travels from the
rest position the greater the amplitude
 The Behavior of Waves
Reflection – the bouncing back of a wave when it strikes a
surface or boundary
• Reflection occurs when a wave strikes an object
 All waves can be reflected
• The Law of Reflection: The angle of the reflected wave is
equal to the angle of the incident wave:

Incident Reflecting
Wave Surface

i
Normal
Line r

Refraction – Reflected
the bending of a wave when
Wave
it travels from one medium to another
Law of Reflection: r= i
• The speed of the wave depends
upon the medium through which
it is traveling
 When a wave passes from one
medium to another it changes
speed
The straw appears to bend because light waves travel
faster in air than it does in water
 The Behavior of Waves
Diffraction – the change in the direction of a wave when an
object causes the wave to bend around it
• Difference between diffraction and refraction: refraction
occurs when waves pass through an object while diffraction
occurs when waves pass around an object.

Interference – the interaction between two or more waves that

occupy the same space at the same time. There are two types:
 The Behavior of Waves
• Constructive – the waves
add together
 The amplitude of the
new wave is equal to the
sum of the amplitudes
of the interfering waves
• Destructive – the waves
subtract from each other as
they overlap
 Occurs crest of one wave
overlaps the trough of the second wave
Standing wave – a wave pattern that forms when wave equal in
wavelength and amplitude, but traveling in opposite directions,
constructively interfere
• Nodes – points on a
standing where the two
waves cancel and no
movement occurs
• Antinodes – points on a
standing wave where
movement is at a maximum
Resonance – the ability of an object to vibrate by absorbing
energy at its natural frequency
• In the case of sound waves, the sound gets louder
• Internet search: The Tacoma Narrows Bridge