WAVES and OPTICS
DEFINATION OF OPTICS AND WAVES
MECHANICAL AND ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES
APPLICATION OFMECHANICAL WAVES IN NURSING
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES AND PROPERTIES
WHAT IS OPTICS?
Optics is a branch of physics that studies the behavior and properties of light and the
interaction of light with matter.
LIGHT: is a form of energy that travels in electromagnetic waves. This energy is both
electrical and magnetic.
PROPERTIES OF LIGHT
1. Light travels out in all direction from its source
2. Light travels in straight line called rays
3. Light travels at the speed of light 3.0 x 108 m/s
4. Light can travel in a vacuum
5. Light can be absorbed
6. Light can be reflected
7. Light can be refracted
8. Light can be transmitted
WHAT IS A WAVE?
A wave is a flow or transfer of energy in the form of oscillation through a medium – space or
mass. Sea waves or tides, a sound we hear, a photon of light travelling, and even the movement
of small plants blown by the wind are all examples of different waves.
We can also say that a wave is a disturbance which travels through a medium and transfers
energy from one point to another without any permanent displacement of the medium itself.
Waves can be classified in two ways:
1. By their mode/medium of propagation – mechanical and electromagnetic waves
2. By the direction of their oscillation – transverse and longitudinal waves
TRANSVERSE WAVES - travel perpendicularly in the direction of the propagation or
vibration of the wave. Examples of transverse waves include:
ripples on the surface of water.
vibrations in a guitar string.
electromagnetic waves – eg light waves, microwaves, radio waves.
LONGITUDINAL WAVES - travel parallel to the direction of propagation of wave.
Examples of longitudinal waves are:
sound waves
ultrasound wave
MECHANICAL WAVES: are waves that requires a material medium for their
propagation.
A mechanical wave is not capable of transmitting its energy through a vacuum.
Mechanical waves require a medium in order to transport their energy from one
location to another. A sound wave is an example of a mechanical wave. Sound waves
are incapable of traveling through a vacuum. Slinky waves, water waves, stadium waves
and jump rope waves are other examples of mechanical waves; each requires some
medium in order to exist. A slinky wave requires the coils of the slinky; a water wave
requires water; a stadium wave requires fans in a stadium; and a jump rope wave
requires a jump rope.
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES: are waves that do not require a material medium for their
propagation.
An electromagnetic wave is a wave that is capable of transmitting its energy through a
vacuum (i.e., empty space). Electromagnetic waves are produced by the vibration of
charged particles. Electromagnetic waves that are produced on the sun subsequently
travel to Earth through the vacuum of outer space. Were it not for the ability of
electromagnetic waves to travel to through a vacuum, there would undoubtedly be no
life on Earth. All light waves are examples of electromagnetic waves.
A simple wave illustration is as follows.
Amplitude is the maximum displacement of a particle from its position of rest
Wavelength is the distance between 2 successive crest or trough
Crest is the region of maximum upward displacement
Trough is the region of maximum downward displacement
A cycle is a complete to and fro movement of a vibrating particle
Frequency is the number of complete vibrations or cycles that a particle makes in one
second.
SOUND WAVES
Sound is produced by vibrating bodies. These vibrations cause the surrounding air to vibrate
also, hence producing a disturbance of the air. Sound wave requires a material medium always.
Therefore sound waves are mechanical waves.
The medium could be either through air or water.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SOUND WAVE
1. PITCH - Pitch is a characteristic of sound by which a correct note can be distinguished
from a grave or a flat note. We can identify a female and male voice without seeing
them. The term ‘pitch’ is often used in music. Pitch depends upon the frequencies of the
sound wave. A note has a higher pitch when the frequency is high and a note of low
frequency has a low pitch. For example, when a small baby speaks something, his/her
voice has a higher frequency so in case of a baby the pitch is higher than the pitch of a
man.
2. LOUDNESS - The loudness is a sensation of how strong a sound wave is at a place.
The loudness depends on the amplitude of the vibration. It will be louder when the
amplitude is high. Suppose when we pluck a string of the guitar it starts vibrating with
low amplitude and if we apply more energy by plucking more strongly, the string will
vibrate with the greater amplitude and produce a loud sound. As the amplitude of
vibration increases, sound also increases.
3. QUALITY - The word timbre also describes the term quality. As different sources produce
different sounds, the timbre helps us to distinguish between them. A sound of good
quality is pleasant to listen. The instruments are of different shapes and size and they
produce different harmonics of loudness hence their sound can be easily distinguished.
NOTE: FORCED VIBRATION occurs when an external periodic force acts on a system and
sets that system vibrating at the same frequency as the external periodic force. An
Example of forced vibration is the vibration of the diaphragm of a telephone
microphone caused by the sound wave impinging on it.
APPLICATION OF SOUND WAVE IN NURSING
1. The use of stethoscopes to listen to the internal sounds of the human body.
2. The ultrasound imaging has helped expectant mothers know the gender of their
offspring by 20 weeks of development.
3. Also ultrasound is used to examine some organs and blood flow and sound reflects
at boundary of tissues with different densities.
4. The use of hearing aids in improving the hearing and speech comprehension of
people who have hearing loss. A hearing aid has three basic parts, a microphone,
amplifier, and speaker. The hearing aid receives sound through a microphone, which
converts the sound waves to electrical signals and sends them to an amplifier. The
amplifier increases the power of the signals and then sends them to the ear through
a speaker.