Part 1 - Waves

Waves and Wave Properties
Why are we able to see?

Answer: Because there is light.
And…what is light?
Answer: Light is a wave.
So…what is a wave?
Answer: A wave is a disturbance that
carries energy from place to place.
A wave does NOT carry matter with it! It

just moves the matter as it goes
through it.
Some waves do not need matter (called a
“medium”) to be able to move (for
example, through space).
These are called electromagnetic waves

(or EM waves).
Some waves MUST have a medium in

order to move. These are called
mechanical waves.
A. Waves
 Waves
 rhythmic disturbances that carry energy through
matter or space
 Medium
 material through which a wave transfers energy
 solid, liquid, gas, or combination
 electromagnetic waves don’t need a medium
(e.g. visible light)
B. Waves & Energy
 Waves  Energy
 Carry energy  Waves carry energy
 Waves are caused by  Vibration is a transfer
vibrations of energy
 Can do work  As waves carry
 Move objects energy the particles in
the medium move
 the direction of the
motion determines the
type of wave
C. Categories of Waves
 Mechanical Waves  Electromagnetic
 Must travel through a Waves
medium  Does not require a medium
 Cannot travel through a  Can be transferred through a
vacuum vacuum
 Examples: sound, ocean  Examples: light, UV rays,
waves Visible light
D. Types of Waves
Two Types:
Longitudinal Transverse
D. Transverse Waves
Transverse Waves
 medium vibrates
perpendicular to the
direction of wave
motion
 Examples: water waves,
electromagnetic waves
B. Transverse Waves
Wave Anatomy
corresponds to
crests the amount of
energy carried by
the wave
wavelength
amplitude
amplitude
nodes wavelength
troughs
E. Longitudinal Waves
Longitudinal Waves (a.k.a. compressional

waves)
 medium moves in the same direction as the
wave’s motion
 Examples: sound waves, springs, slinky
Parts of longitudinal waves:
Compression: where the particles are close

together
Rarefaction: where the particles are spread
apart
E. Longitudinal Waves
Wave Anatomy
compression wavelength
rarefaction wavelength
Amount of compression corresponds to amount of energy  AMPLITUDE
Wave Properties
Wave properties depend on what
(type of energy) is making the waves.
1.Wavelength: The distance between one point

on a wave and the exact same place on the
next wave.
Wave Properties
2. Frequency: How many waves go past a

point in one second; unit of measurement
is hertz (Hz).
The higher the frequency, the more energy in the wave.
10 waves going past in 1 second = 10 Hz
1,000 waves go past in 1 second = 1,000 Hz
1 million waves going past = 1 million Hz
Wave Properties
3. Amplitude: How far the medium moves

from rest position (where it is when not
moving).
Remember that for transverse waves, the highest point is the
crest, and the lowest point is the trough.
Remember that for compressional waves,
the points where the medium is close
together are called compressions and the
areas where the medium is spread apart
are called rarefactions.
The closer together and further apart the
particles are, the larger the amplitude.
4. Wave speed: Depends on the medium in which the
wave is traveling. It varies in solids, liquids and gases.
A mathematical way to calculate speed:
wave speed = wavelength x frequency

(in meters) (in Hz)
OR
v=f x ‫ג‬
Problem: If a wave has a wavelength of 2 m and a

frequency of 500 Hz, what is its speed?
Solid Liquid
 Molecules are close together  Molecules are farther apart
so waves travel very quickly. but can slide past one
another so waves do not
travel as fast.
Gas
 Molecules are very far apart
so a molecule has to travel
far before it hits another
molecule, so waves travel
slowest in gases.
F. Measuring Waves
 EX: Find the wave speed of a wave in a wave pool if its
wavelength is 3.2 m and its frequency is 0.60 Hz.
GIVEN: WORK:
v=? v=×f
 = 3.2 m v = (3.2 m)(0.60 Hz)
f = 0.60 Hz v = 1.92 m/s
v
 f

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Part 1 - Waves

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Waves and Wave Properties

Why are we able to see?

A wave does NOT carry matter with it! It

These are called electromagnetic waves

Some waves MUST have a medium in

Longitudinal Waves (a.k.a. compressional

Compression: where the particles are close

1.Wavelength: The distance between one point

2. Frequency: How many waves go past a

3. Amplitude: How far the medium moves

A mathematical way to calculate speed:

wave speed = wavelength x frequency

Problem: If a wave has a wavelength of 2 m and a

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