Properties of Waves
Waves
• A wave is the propagation or storage of energy through a medium or the
vacuum, without any transfer of the medium itself.
• Different types of waves have different sets of characteristics. Based on the
orientation of particle motion and direction of energy, there are two categories:
a) Mechanical waves
b) Electromagnetic waves
Types of Waves
a) Mechanical Wave
• A mechanical wave is a wave that is an oscillation of matter and is responsible for the transfer
of energy through a medium.
• There are two types of mechanical waves:
• Longitudinal waves – In this type of wave, the movement of the particles is in parallel to the
propagation (direction of motion) of the wave , i.e. the movement of the medium is in the same
direction in which the wave is moving.
Example – Sound Waves, Pressure Waves.
• Transverse waves – When the movement of the particles is at right angles or perpendicular to
the motion of the wave, then this type of wave is known as a transverse wave. Light is an
example of a transverse wave.
• Water waves are an example of a combination of both longitudinal and transverse motions.
Types of Waves
b) Electromagnetic waves
Electromagnetic waves or EM waves are waves that are created as a result of
vibrations between an electric field and a magnetic field. In other words,
electromagnetic waves are composed of oscillating magnetic and electric fields.
Following are the different types of electromagnetic waves:
i. Microwaves
ii. X-ray
iii. Radio waves
iv. Ultraviolet waves
v. Infrared radiation
vi. Gamma ray
vii. Visible light
Characteristics of Transverse waves
• Crest: the highest point of displacement of the wave
• Trough: lowest point of displacement of the wave
• Amplitude: The maximum height reached by a wave
• Wavelength (λ – lambda): The distance travelled by one complete wave cycle.
Wavelength is measured in metres.
• Time period: Time taken for one complete wave to travel. Time period is measured in one second.
• Frequency: Number of complete waves produced in one second. The frequency is measured in
Hertz (Hz).
f = 1/ T
• Wave speed: The rate at which one complete wave travels. The equation for calculating the
speed of a wave is:
Wave speed (v) = Wavelength (λ) x Frequency (f)
Calculation of
Wavelength
In transverse waves, the
wavelength could be
measured :
i. Crest to Crest,
ii. Trough to Trough,
iii. any other complete
cycle of a wave.
Interpreting
frequency and
wavelength of
waves
A wavefront is the set of
all locations in a
medium where the wave
is at the same phase.
This could be where all
the crests are, where all
the troughs are, or any
phase in between.
The distance between
two wavefront is exactly
equal to one wavelength.
Example:
• Find the speed of a wave with wavelength 450 mm and frequency
0.45 kHz. What is the time period?
• Given,
Wavelength, λ = 450 mm = 450 x 10-3 m = 0.45 m
frequency, f = 0.45 kHz = 0.45 x 1000 = 450 Hz
wave speed, v =?
v =fλ
i) v = 450 x 0.45 = 202.5 m/s
• ii) f = 1/T where, T is the time period
T = 1/f
= (1/ 450)
T = 0.00222 = 2.22 x 10^-3s = 2.22ms
For the following wave:
• What is the amplitude, A of the wave?
The amplitude of the wave is 1.7m.
• From the graph, what is the wavelength of the wave?
The wavelength of the wave is 4m.
• If, the speed of the wave is 16000 cm/s, what is the wave’s frequency?
Speed = 160 m/s 100 cm = 1m
v=fλ
160 = f x 4
f = 160/4 = 40 Hz
• iv) What is the time period?
T = 1/f
= 1 / 40
T = 0.025 s = 250 ms (250 milli-second)
Calculating amplitude, frequency, wavelength and period from a graph (Video)
(Link: [Link]
Label and draw Transverse waves (Video)
(Link: [Link]
Reflection of
waves
Reflection is the change in direction of a wave
at a boundary between two different medium,
so that the wave moves back into the medium
that it came from. The most common
examples include the reflection of light, sound
and water waves.
Refraction of
waves
Refraction is the bending of the path a wave takes
when it passes from one medium into another.
Refraction of waves involves not only a change in
the direction of waves but it is also accompanied by
a change in speed and wavelength of the waves.
DIFFRACTION
Diffraction is the spreading
out of waves as they pass
through a slit or around
objects. It occurs when the
size of the slit or obstacle is
comparable or equal to the
magnitude as the
wavelength of the incident
wave.
For very small slit sizes, the
vast majority of the wave is
blocked. For large slits, the
wave passes by or through
the obstacle without any
significant diffraction
Refraction in water waves
• Refraction happens because a wave moves at different speeds in different media
- faster in less dense medium (or deeper water) and slower in denser medium (or
shallow water).
• The frequency of a wave in different media does not change. It is the change in
wavelength that causes the wave speed to change.
• waves direction bends towards normal if the waves move from a less dense
medium (or deeper water) to denser medium (or shallower water);
Refraction in water waves
• waves direction bends away from normal if the waves move from a denser
medium (or shallower water) to a less dense medium (or deeper
water).
Speed of the water wave
changes with depth of
water in the ripple tank.
Waves travel fastest in
deeper regions and slow
down in regions that are
shallow.
Since, frequency of the
waves remain constant
Thus, when the wave speed
decreases, it also enforces
a decrease in the
wavelength of the waves.