Waves

Energy can be
transferred by either
1) Matter(mass)
ex) baseball,
electron
Waves
Energy is transferred
by
2) Waves
ex) sound, radio,
water, light
Waves
 Waves transfer energy not mass.

 Notice that all the matter is in the same

location after the wave has passed.
Wave Types
 1.
Mechanical Waves
These waves need a
medium. The material that
the wave travels through is
called the medium.
1. Mechanical Waves
ex) water waves travel through _______

sound waves travel through ______

slinky waves travel through _________

2. Electromagnetic Waves

 EM waves do
not need a
medium.
 Ex) radio, TV,
microwave,
X-rays, visible
light
4 types of Mechanical Waves
 1. Transverse Waves
 2. Longitudinal Waves
 3. Torsional Waves - twist
 4. Surface Waves – water at the ocean
Transverse Waves
 1. Transverse Waves
 The particles in the medium vibrate
perpendicular to the direction the waves
are traveling.
Transverse Waves
Examples – water waves, slinky waves,
Wave characteristics –
1) wavelength = λ
the horizontal distance between
corresponding points on consecutive
waves. λ
HITT- What two sets of points are
in one wavelength apart ?

B G
C H
A D F

E
Ans - A and F C and H B and G

B G
C H
A D F

E
Transverse Waves
Wave characteristics –
2) amplitude = A
the distance from the rest position to
the maximum displacement.

A
 Transverse Waves
 Examples – water waves, slinky waves,

Wave characteristics –
3) crest = maximum displacement
UP
4) trough = maximum displacement
DOWN
Amplitude vs Energy

Q - With a slinky, how do you make

a pulse with a larger amplitude?
Amplitude vs Energy

A – Add more energy by swinging

the rope harder. The amplitude is
directly proportional to the energy.
Moving up or down?
 You must be able to determine whether
the molecules in a medium are moving
up or down as the pulse - crest or
trough - moves forward.

A
In Phase
 Two points in a wave are said to be in
phase if they have
 a) the same amplitude and
 b) are moving in the same
direction(either both up or both down)
HITT - What two sets of points are in phase ?

B G
C F
A D H

E
Ans – B and F D and H

B G
C F
A D H

E
Mechanical Waves
 2. Longitudinal Waves
The particles move parallel to the
direction the waves are traveling.
Longitudinal Waves
 Compressions – regions where the
medium is more dense – the material
is packed tightly.
 Rarefactions – regions where the
medium is less dense – the material
is spread out.
Describing Waves
 Frequency, f
is the number of wavelengths that
pass a given point each second.

Unit = Hertz, Hz or cycles per second or

waves per second or 1/s or s-1
 The period, Τ, is the time for one
wave to pass. Units - seconds
 The period is the inverse of
frequency.
 Τ = 1/f or f = 1/ Τ
 Usually the frequency is determined
by the source, the person shaking the
slinky.
HITT Practice f and T
 HITT – The periodic wave has 20 crests
pass by in 5 seconds.
 The frequency is a) 20 hz b) 5 hz c) 4 hz
d) 0.25 hz
 The period is a) 20 s b) 5 s c) 4 s
d) 0.25 s
The velocity of pulses
The velocity of waves is also
called the speed of propagation.
 V = d/t

 d is the distance the pulse

travels. t is the time.
The velocity of pulses
 A second method to determine the
speed of the pulse.

 V=fλ
Units 1/s x m or m/s
Speed of waves
 The speed depends upon the
medium in which the wave travels
regardless of the frequency or
wavelength or amplitude.

 If different frequencies had different

speeds, music would become
jumbled as it traveled from the
source.
Relationship between f, λ, and v
 1st – v does not affect f or λ
 2nd – As f increases, λ decreases

this is an inverse relationship.

Or as f decreases, λ increases.
More pulses per second means the
waves will be closer together.
Reflection of Pulses
 What happens when a pulse hits a new
medium? The new medium could
be a new spring, a wall, etc.

 The new medium can be more dense –

like a wall or less dense like air. This
determines whether the reflection will
be inverted or erect.
Reflection of Pulses
 Remember the new medium will have a
wave with a different velocity and a
different wavelength but the same
frequency.
 The reflected pulse will be erect if the
new medium is less dense.
 The reflected pulse will be inverted if
the new medium is more dense.
 The transmitted pulse is always erect.
Reflected – Transmitted
What happens at the boundary
between media?

 When the pulse strikes the boundary,

some of the energy is reflected as a
reflected pulse and some continues
on as a transmitted pulse.
Reflected – Transmitted
What happens at the boundary
between media?

 The amount of reflected pulse

depends upon the difference between
their properties. If the two mediums
are identical, then all the energy is
transmitted.
 Q - Is the new frequency different?
 A – No, since the pulse was produced
by the same source, it must have the
same frequency. But it is a new
medium, therefore a new velocity and
so a new wavelength.
Entering a new medium
 If v decreases, the λ decreases.
As the waves slow down, the crests
get closer together.
Entering a new medium

 If v increases, the λ increases.

As the waves speed up, the
crests get farther apart.
 Since v = fλ for both mediums and
the frequencies are the same
 V = f λ and v = f λ
1 1 1 2 2 2

and since f1 = f2
 Then v /λ = v /λ
1 1 2 2
Interference
 What happens to
pulses when
they hit each
other?
 Waves are not
changed by
passing through
each other.
Interference
 When we
superimpose
one pulse on top
of another it is
called
superposition.
 Interference
 Constructive
interference
 a crest meets
a crest or
 Interference
 Constructive
interference
 a trough
meets a
trough
 Interference
 Destructive
interference
 a crest meets
a trough