Sound
Types of waves & their common properties
Types of waves
i) Mechanical Waves :
A wave which need material medium for its propagation.
Examples: Water waves, seismic waves.
ii) EM Waves ( ElectroMagnetic Waves) :
Waves generated due to periodic vibrations in electric or
magnetic fields are called EM waves.
Material medium is not needed.
Example: Light waves.
Types of waves
iii) Matter Waves :
Wave produced because of the motion in an object is called
Matter waves.
It is studied in quantum mechanics; a branch of physics.
iv) Progressive waves :
The waves in which a disturbance created at one place travels
to distant points and keep travelling till stopped externally.
Example: Water waves.
Common properties:
i) Amplitude :
Largest displacement of a particle of a medium is called
amplitude.
It is denoted by 'A'.
It is measured in metre in SI units.
ii) Wavelength :
The distance between two succesive particles is called
wavelength.
It is denoted by 'λ'.
It is measured in metre in SI units.
iii) Period :
It is the time required to complete one vibration by a particle.
It is denoted by 'T'
It is measured in seconds in SI units.
iv) Double periodicity:
At every position, wave motion repeats itself at equal time
intervals,hence they are "periodic in time."
At any instant, the form of wave repeats at
equaldistances,hence it is "periodic in space."
In this way, a wave motion is doubly periodic, [Link] in
time & also in space.
v) Frequency :
Frequency is the number of vibrations performed by a particle
in each second.
It is denoted by 'n'.
Its SI unit is Hertz(Hz).
It is the reciprocal of time period, i.e., n= 1 / T
vi) Velocity:
The distance covered by a wave per unit time is called velocity
of wave.
Magnitude of velocity of a wave in a medium is constant.