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Lecture 2 Waves and Wave Properties
Lecture 2 Waves and Wave Properties
WAVES
A wave is a periodical disturbance that
propagates in a particular medium.ie dropping
a pebble in a pond creates water waves
A wave is a motion of disturbance
Other examples of waves include; sound
waves, waves on a string, and electromagnetic
waves such as visible light, radio waves,
television signals, and x-rays.
All waves carry energy
TYPES OF WAVES
Classified into two different categories:
A) Medium requirement-
Mechanical waves
Longitudinal waves
MECHANICAL WAVES
A mechanical wave is an oscillation/vibration of matter, and
therefore transfers energy through a medium
For example water waves, sound waves, waves in stretched spring
and elastic spring
They require 3 things;
i. some source of disturbance
ii. A medium that can be disturbed
iii. Some physical connection or mechanism through which adjacent
portions of the medium can influence each other
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES
Electromagnetic waves are waves that are
created as a result of vibrations between an
electric field and a magnetic field.
Requires no medium for propagation
Vibrations/displacements are
perpendicular to the direction of
propagation of the waves
Examples Include;
A transverse wave that is set up in a
spring by moving one end of the spring
perpendicular to its length.
TRANSVERSE WAVES CONT…
EM waves; consist of vibrating electric & magnetic
fields both of which are perpendicular to the
direction of wave travel
Reciprocal of frequency: T = 1 / f.
1 x 1010 Hz
After 0.5 seconds, how far is the front of the wave from
the antenna? (4 marks)
1.5 x 108m
PROPERTIES OF WAVES
1. Reflection: When waves bounce off a
surface.
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CONT…
When waves are reflected, the process of reflection
has certain properties. If a wave hits an obstacle at
a right angle to the surface then the wave is
reflected directly backwards.
PHASE SHIFT OF REFLECTED WAVE
When a wave is reflected from a more dense medium, it undergoes a
phase shift. That means that the peaks and troughs are swapped
around
If the end of the string was not fixed, i.e. it could move up
and down then the wave would still be reflected but it
would not undergo a phase shift
REFRACTION OF WAVES
When a wave traveling through a medium
encounters a boundary leading into another
medium, part of the wave is reflected and
part of it enters the second medium
The part that enters the second medium is
bent at the boundary
This bending of the wave is called
refraction
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REFRACTION OF WAVES, (CONT’D…)
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REFRACTION DETAILS, 1
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REFRACTION DETAILS, 2
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CONT..
A demonstration of refraction
CONT..
Sinusoidal travelling plane wave entering a region
of lower wave velocity at an angle, illustrating the
decrease in wavelength and change of direction
(refraction)
DIFFRACTION:
The bending of waves around an object.
The amount of bending depends on the size of the
obstacle and the size of the waves.
Large obstacle, small wavelength = low diffraction
(bending)
Small obstacle, large wavelength = large diffraction
(bending)
PROPERTIES OF WAVES : INTERFERENCE
if two waves meet interesting things can happen.
Waves are basically collective motion of particles.
READING ASSIGNMENT
WAVES ON A STRING
1. SPEED OF A WAVE
EXAMPLE
2.ENERGY IN WAVE MOTION
The total energy in a wave on a string is given as;