Waves - Lecture 1

Introduction to waves
Waves on a string - Wave equation on a string (derivation) - Harmonic

waves- reflection and transmission of waves at a boundary - Standing
waves and their eigenfrequencies - waves with dispersion - Superposition
of waves and Fourier method (qualitative) - Wave packet - phase velocity
and group velocity.
Waves
A disturbance that transmits energy

through matter or space
 Most waves move through matter
called a medium.
 Ex. Waves traveling through water.
Types of Waves
 1. Mechanical Waves
a wave that requires a medium through which
to travel
 Most type of waves
Ex. Sound, seismic
 2. Electromagnetic Waves
waves caused by the disturbance in electric
and magnetic fields and that does not require
a medium.
(light radiation waves)
What do Waves Do?
 When waves travel through media they are
doing work (energy transferred).
 Ex. Sound traveling in your ear causes
vibrates throughout your ear.
 Ex. Shock waves move the earth during an
earthquake.
 Ex. Tsunami waves move anything in their
path
How a Wave Travels
 As wave travels in air, the waves spread out in

spheres
 the sphere will get bigger and bigger as they
move farther away
 Why is it more damaging to your ears if you are
standing next to a speaker rather than a 100
meters away?
 Each sphere carries the same amount of energy
 But the energy is more spread out of a greater
distance.
Vibrations and Waves
 Most waves are caused by a vibrating object,

which will then cause other objects to vibrate
 Vibrations will transfer energy from PE to KE.
 simple harmonic motion--vibration would
continue forever
 Damped harmonic motion transfers the energy
and the vibration will fade out.
 Ex. Shock absorbers on cars and bikes.
Wave Vibration Types
 1. Transverse Waves
-a wave that causes the particles of the medium
to vibrate perpendicular to the direction of the
wave.
 “The Wave” at a stadium is a good illustration.
 Ex. Light waves
 2. Longitudinal Waves
-a wave that causes the particles of the medium
to vibrate parallel to the direction of the wave.
 they expand and compress.
 Ex. Sound waves
 3. Surface Waves
-waves that are both transverse or longitudinal.
-Circular motion
-ex. Ocean waves
Wave Types
 Mechanical waves:
-can be transverse, longitudinal , or surface
waves
 Electromagnetic (light):
-waves will only be transverse.
Wave Properties
 all
transverse waves have similar shapes, no
matter the size of the wave.
 The shape is called a sine curve or sine
wave.
Wave Parts
 Crest
Highest point of a transverse wave
 Trough
lowest point of a transverse wave
 Amplitude
-The vertical distance that particles vibrate from
their normal position when a wave passes
 measures the intensity of wave.
-ex. Loudness, brightness
Wave Parts
 Wavelength
-The distance between any two successive
identical parts of a wave
 Represented by the symbol lambda ()
 Measured in a degree of meters
Wave Diagram
Wavelength
Crest Amplitude
Wavelength
trough
Wave Properties
 1. Wavelength
-measures the size of the wave
 2. Amplitude
-measures the intensity (strength) of the wave
 3. Frequency
-the number of full wavelengths that pass a point
in a particular period of time (rate)
-Represented by the symbol (ƒ)
-Measured in hertz (Hz) = beat/sec
-Your radio dials are in megahertz
Wave Properties
 4. Period (time)
-The time required for one full wavelength to pass
a certain point
-Represented by the symbol (T)
-Measured in seconds
Low
Low
Wavelength
High High
Frequency, wavelength, and Period
 Wavelength and period will increase when

frequency decreases.
 λ ↓, T, ↓, then f ↑
You can calculate frequency and period

from each other
T=1/f or f=1/T
Frequency and Sound
 We hear sounds from the range 20 Hz to

20,000 Hz
 determines the pitch
Frequency and Light
 Wesee light from the range 4x1014 Hz red to
8x1014 Hz violet
 Frequency determines the energy and color
 Redis the easiest to see, violet is the hottest

(most energetic)
Wave Properties
5. Wave Speed
-the speed at which a wave passes through a
medium.
-Waves travel at different speeds in different
media phases (s, l, g).
Mechanical Wave Speed
 These waves travel fastest in solids and the
slowest in gases
 Why?
Light Wave Speed
 allelectromagnetic waves travel at the same
speed in empty space. (3 x 108 m/s)
 Light waves slow down as they pass through
media.
 Speed=wavelength/period
 v=/T
Can also use:
 Speed=frequency x wavelength
v =fx
Examples
A piano string vibrates with a frequency of 264
Hz. If the waves have a wavelength of 1.3 m,
what is the speed of sound in air?
 v=  f
 speed= (1.30 m) (264 Hz)

 speed = 343 m/s
Examples
A string with a wavelength of 1.30 m and
a period of 0.00379 s is played. What is the
speed of the wave?
V = /T
 speed=1.30 m/0.00379 s
 speed = 343 m/s
Standing Waves
 wave that appears not to move along the

medium.
 two regions
 Regions of no vibrations (nodes)
 Regions of maximum vibration (antinodes)
Wave Interactions
1. Reflection
 The bouncing back of a wave as it meets a
surface or boundary
2. Diffraction
 When waves pass through an opening or by an
edge they bend around the edge or expand as
they pass through the opening.
3. Refraction
 The
bending of waves as they pass from one
medium to another
Air to water is an example
Ex. Spoon seeming to bend when placed in water
4. Interference
 The combination of two or more waves that
exist in the same place at the same time.
 Once waves pass, they return to original shape
Two types:
1. Constructive
2. destructive
Constructive Interference
 The crests of wave line up to combine their

amplitudes making the wave larger.
 Wave becomes bigger
 The new wave is bigger than the original
when waves combine
Destructive Interference
 When crest of one wave meets the trough of

another wave
 Forms a smaller wave than the original

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Waves - Lecture 1

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Introduction to waves

Waves on a string - Wave equation on a string (derivation) - Harmonic

A disturbance that transmits energy

 As wave travels in air, the waves spread out in

 Most waves are caused by a vibrating object,

 Wavelength and period will increase when

You can calculate frequency and period

 We hear sounds from the range 20 Hz to

 Frequency determines the energy and color

 Redis the easiest to see, violet is the hottest

 speed= (1.30 m) (264 Hz)

 wave that appears not to move along the

 The crests of wave line up to combine their

 When crest of one wave meets the trough of

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