WAVES
-FINALS
What are waves?
• Waves are one of the ways in which energy may be transferred
between stores.
• All waves transfer energy but they do not transfer matter.
Wavefront
• It is a line where all the points in a wave are in phase in the same
direction and the same distance from the source.
Oscillations
• Waves can be described as oscillations,
or vibrations about a rest position.
For example:
(1) Sound waves cause air particles to
vibrate back and forth
(2) Ripples cause water particles to
vibrate up and down
• The direction of these oscillations is the
difference between longitudinal or
transverse waves.
Transverse Waves
• The vibrations are at right angles (perpendicular) to the direction of
wave travel.
• Eg. Light waves, waves travelling on the surface of water etc.
Longitudinal Waves
• The vibrations are parallel to the direction of wave travel.
• Eg. Sound waves
Difference??
• Transverse – Perpendicular
• Longitudinal – Parallel
Parts of Waves
1. Amplitude (A)
- The maximum movement of particles from their resting or equilibrium
position is called its Amplitude.
2. Wavelength (λ)
- The distance from one point on a wave to the same point on the next
wave (from crest to crest or trough to trough) OR
-Distance travelled by a full cycle of a wave.
- UNIT FOR BOTH – Metre (m)
Parts of Waves
(contd.)
3. Frequency (f)
- The number of waves produced
each second OR
- The number of waves passing a
particular point each second.
- Unit : Hertz (Hz)
- Eg. If a wave source produces 5
complete waves each second, it
has a frequency of 5 Hz.
Parts of Waves (contd.)
4. Time Period (T)
- The time taken to produce one full wave is known as Time Period.
- Unit : Seconds (s)
Relationship between Frequency and Time
Period
Word Problem
1. Calculate the time period of a wave with a frequency of 50 Hz.
Ans.
2. Calculate the time period of a wave with a frequency of 400 Hz.
Ans.
The Wave Equation
• Wave speed (v) - m/s
• Frequency (f) – Hz (Hertz)
• Wavelength (λ) - m
wave speed = frequency × wavelength
v = f × λ
Word Problems
1. What is the speed of a wave that has a frequency of 50 Hz and a wavelength of
6 m?
2. What is the speed of a wave with a frequency of 0.2 Hz and a wavelength of
25 m?
Tuning Fork
Q. A tuning fork creates sound waves with a
frequency of 170 Hz. If the speed of sound in air is
340 m/s, calculate the wavelength of the sound
waves.
A. λ = 2 m
The Ripple Tank
• A ripple tank can be used to
measure and calculate frequency,
wavelength and the speed of
waves on the surface of the water.
• A ripple tank is a transparent
shallow tray of water with a light
shining down through it onto a
white card below in order to clearly
see the motion of the ripples
created on the water’s surface.
• Method
• Set up the ripple tank with about 5 cm
depth of water.
• Adjust the height of the wooden rod so that
it just touches the water.
• Switch on the lamp & motor and adjust
until low frequency waves can be observed.
• Measure the length of waves / number of
waves to record wavelength.
• Count the number of waves passing a
point in ten seconds/ten to record
frequency.
• Calculate the speed of the waves using:
Wave speed = frequency × wavelength.
Reflection
• All waves can be reflected.
• Law of Reflection
-When the wave hits a straight surface
Angle of Incidence = Angle of Reflection
• Angle of Incidence
-Angle between incident ray and
normal.
• Angle of Reflection
-Angle between reflected ray and
normal.
Refraction
• Different materials have different
densities.
• Light waves may change direction at the
boundary between two transparent
materials.
• Refraction is the change in direction of a
wave at such a boundary.
• Waves travels slower in denser materials.
• Glass is denser than air, so a light ray
passing from air into glass slows down.
• If the ray meets the boundary at an angle
to the normal, it bends towards the
normal.
The Doppler Effect
• The Doppler effect is usually noticed
when a vehicle with a siren
approaches and moves away from an
observer.
• Consider a police car.
• When the police car is stationary, the
sound waves from the siren appear as
equally spaced wavefronts.
• People in front and behind hear the
sound of same frequency and
wavelength.
• When the police car starts moving,
the wavefronts are no longer
spaced equally.
• FRONT
-Wavefronts are compressed (small
wavelength, high frequency)
-Person hears louder sound.
• BEHIND
-Wavefronts are stretched (longer
wavelength, small frequency)
-Person hears less louder.
• These changes in frequency when
source of waves is moved is called
Doppler Effect.