TRANSVERSE & LONGITUDINAL
WAVES
6.01
OBJECTIVES
• To understand the meaning of wave
motion
• To distinguish between longitudinal and
transverse waves
• To define amplitude, wavelength, period
and frequency and state the relationship
between them
• To understand the meaning of crest and
trough
OBJECTIVES ( CONTD.)
• To find amplitude and period from a
displacement- time graph
• To find amplitude and wavelength from a
displacement- position graph
• To use v = λf
WAVE MOTION
How is wave motion different from the kind
of motion you have studied so far?
WAVE MOTION
• Wave is a way of transferring energy from
one place to another without the actual
large scale motion of a material body.
• Light from the Sun warms up the earth
• A soprano singing can break a crystal
glass
WAVE & DISTURBANCE
• A wave is always associated with a
disturbance
DEFINITION OF WAVE
• A wave is a disturbance that transfers
energy from one place to another
• The direction of energy transfer is the
direction of propagation of the wave
MECHANICAL WAVES
• Require medium for propagation
• Sound waves, waves in a string, water
waves are mechanical waves
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES
• Do not require medium for propagation
• Light is an electromagnetic wave
Wave & Particle Motion
• The wave, does exhibit a net
displacement in space, whereas,
• the particles of the medium exhibit only
oscillatory motion around their equilibrium
positions.
Longitudinal Waves
Longitudinal Waves
• Vibration direction parallel to wave propagation direction
• Particles in medium move closer together/farther apart
• Example: sound waves
• Gases and liquids - support only longitudinal waves
Sound Waves
Sound waves are longitudinal waves, similar
to the waves on a Slinky:
Here, the wave is a series of compressions
and stretches.
Sound Waves
In a sound wave, the
density and pressure of
the air (or other
medium carrying the
sound) are the
quantities that oscillate.
Transverse Waves
Transverse Waves
• Vibration direction perpendicular to wave
propagation direction
• Example: plucked string
Solids - support both longitudinal and
transverse waves
WATER WAVES
• What about water waves?
Water waves are a
combination of transverse
and longitudinal waves.
Wavelength
• The length of a full wave is called the
wavelength, λ , and the time needed to
produce one full wave is the time period T.
Speed of the Wave
• The wave moves forward a distance equal to a
wavelength in a time equal to one time period
• The speed of the wave = distance / time
• v=λ/T
• Number of waves produced in one second=
frequency, f
• f=1/T
• v=λf
• ..\Desktop\[Link]
Graphical Representation of Waves
• Displacement- time graph
• Displacement – position graph
Parameters
• Distance : where along the wave are we
looking
• Time: at what time are we looking at the
wave
• Displacement : measures the disturbance
More on displacement
• String: the height of a point on the string
from the undisturbed position of the string
and is measured in units of length
• Sound: the change in the density of the
medium relative to the equilibrium density
and is measured in units of density
• Sound: the change in the pressure of the
medium relative to the equilibrium
pressure
Displacement
• All waves have a displacement
• The displacement is the difference of
some quantity and the equilibrium value of
that quantity when no wave is present
• The displacement of any waves is a
function of position( distance) and time
Crest & Troughs
• Amplitude: the maximum displacement of
the wave is called amplitude
• Crest: Points on the wave with maximum
positive displacement are called crests
• Troughs: Points on the wave with
maximum negative displacement are
called troughs
Wavelength & Period from Graphs
• The distance between successive crests/
troughs in a displacement- distance graph
is the wavelength
• The distance between successive crests/
troughs in a displacement – time graph is
the time period.
Describing waves
PROBLEMS
• A sound wave of frequency 450Hz is
emitted from A and travels towards B, a
distance of 150m away. Take the speed of
sound to be 341m/[Link] many
wavelengths fit in the distance from A to
B?
Answer
• 198 wavelengths