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Waves Revision

Waves can be transverse or longitudinal. Transverse waves oscillate perpendicular to the direction of travel while longitudinal waves oscillate parallel. Key wave properties include amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and speed. The speed of a wave equals its frequency multiplied by the wavelength. Reflection and refraction cause waves to bounce off or bend as they pass from one medium to another. Optical fibers use total internal reflection to transmit light signals for applications like broadband internet and endoscopy.

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44 views3 pages

Waves Revision

Waves can be transverse or longitudinal. Transverse waves oscillate perpendicular to the direction of travel while longitudinal waves oscillate parallel. Key wave properties include amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and speed. The speed of a wave equals its frequency multiplied by the wavelength. Reflection and refraction cause waves to bounce off or bend as they pass from one medium to another. Optical fibers use total internal reflection to transmit light signals for applications like broadband internet and endoscopy.

Uploaded by

Devika
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Waves

Waves

 Waves: transfers energy and information without transferring matter

Transverse and Longitudinal Waves

 Transverse waves: the oscillations (vibrations) are at right angles to the direction of travel
and energy transfer, e.g. light and other types of electromagnetic radiation
 Longitudinal waves: the oscillations are along the same direction as the direction of travel
and energy transfer, e.g. P waves, S waves and water waves

Labelling a Wave

 Amplitude: The distance from the middle to the top of the wave or the amplitude of a wave
is its maximum disturbance from its undisturbed position
 Wavelength: the distance between a point on one wave and the same point on the next
point and is often measured from crest to crest
 Frequency: number of waves produced each second and/or the number of waves that pass a
certain point each second
 Wave front: a surface, real or imaginary, that is the location of all adjacent points at which
the phase of oscillation is the same
 Period of a wave: the time it takes to complete one cycle

The Relationship Between Speed, Frequency and Wavelength of a Wave

 wave speed = frequency x wavelength


 v=f x

The Relationship Between Frequency and Time Period

 frequency = _____1_____
time period
1
 f=
t
Doppler Effect

 Doppler Effect: when there is a change in frequency and wavelength


 When a source moves towards an observer, the observed wavelength decreases and the
frequency increases
 When a source moves away from an observer, the observed wavelength increases and the
frequency decreases

All Waves Can be Reflected and Refracted

 Waves are vibrations, so they can bounce of the surface of an object. Also, none of the
properties of the waves are changed by reflection, the only change is the direction
 Waves refract vibrations can move through one object to another

Wave Properties

 Reflection: when a wave bounces of the surface of an object


o Law: angle of incidence = angle of reflection
 Refraction: the rays of light (or waves) are bent because of a change of density
 Diffraction: when a wave spreads out through a gap
 Absorption: when the energy is removed from the wave
 Transmission: the wave can travel through the medium
 Transparent: you can see an image through something
 Translucent: light is transmitted but no image
 Opaque: the light wave cannot travel through the medium

Diagrams

 Ray: direction it’s travelling

Light Waves and Sound

 Light waves are transverse, and they can be reflected and refracted
 Sound waves are longitudinal waves which can be reflected or refracted

Optical Fibres

 Long tubes of glass


 Light is trapped inside by total internal reflection (TIR)
 TIR only occurs if light is in a dense material trying to get out beyond the critical angle

Uses of Optical Fibres

 Fibre optic cables: pulses of light are flashed down optical fibres
 Broadband Internet: Digital data (1 and 0) are delivered by an on or off
 Multiplexing: much more data can be sent using multiple frequencies or same fibre
 Endoscopes: two bundles of fibres;
 Carries light into bodies
 Carries image out of body Therefore
 Therefore, non-invasive surgery and has a quicker recovery time
Critical Angle

 Critical angle: the angle of incidence that provides an angle of refraction of 90-degrees

Relationship Between Refractive Index, Angle of Incidence, and Angle of Refraction

 refractive index = sin (angle of incidence)


sin (angle of refraction)
sin i
 n=
sinr

Relationship Between Critical Angle and reflective Index

 sin (critical angle) = ______1______


refractive index
 sin c = 1
n

Frequency

 The frequency range for humans is 20-20,000 Hz

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