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2 Basic Principles of Waves

- Waves transfer energy through a medium or in empty space, oscillating in a repeating pattern. There are mechanical waves that need a medium and electromagnetic waves that can travel through empty space. - Key wave properties include amplitude, wavelength, frequency, period, nodes and antinodes. The speed of a wave is calculated by multiplying its frequency and wavelength. - Examples demonstrate calculating wave speed from measurements of frequency, period, and wavelength. Mechanical waves include surface waves in water, while electromagnetic waves propagate through empty space.

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Vienne Henryse Pareja
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58 views

2 Basic Principles of Waves

- Waves transfer energy through a medium or in empty space, oscillating in a repeating pattern. There are mechanical waves that need a medium and electromagnetic waves that can travel through empty space. - Key wave properties include amplitude, wavelength, frequency, period, nodes and antinodes. The speed of a wave is calculated by multiplying its frequency and wavelength. - Examples demonstrate calculating wave speed from measurements of frequency, period, and wavelength. Mechanical waves include surface waves in water, while electromagnetic waves propagate through empty space.

Uploaded by

Vienne Henryse Pareja
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Basic Principles of Waves

Wave
• It is an oscillation accompanied by a transfer of energy that
travels through space or mass.
• The repeating and periodic disturbance that moves through a
medium from one location to another.
• The two main types of waves are mechanical waves and
electromagnetic waves.
• Mechanical waves propagate through a medium, and the
substance of this medium is deformed. Example: sound
waves
• Electromagnetic waves consist of periodic oscillations of
electrical and magnetic fields generated by charged
particles, and can therefore travel through a vacuum (do not
require a medium of propagation). Examples: radio
waves, microwaves, infrared radiation, visible light.
• A wave can be transverse or longitudinal.
• Transverse waves occur when a disturbance creates
oscillations that are perpendicular to the propagation of
energy transfer.
• Longitudinal waves occur when the oscillations
are parallel to the direction of energy propagation. While
mechanical waves can be both transverse and longitudinal,
all electromagnetic waves are transverse in free space.
Parts of a Wave
• A crest is the point on a wave with the maximum value or
upward displacement within a cycle. A crest is a point on
the wave where the displacement of the medium is at a
maximum.
• A trough is the opposite of a crest, so the minimum or
lowest point in a cycle.A point on the wave is a trough if the
displacement of the medium at that point is at a minimum.
• An Amplitude is the maximum displacement or distance
moved by a point on a vibrating body or wave measured
from its equilibrium position. It is equal to one-half the
length of the vibration path.
• A node is a point along a standing wave where the wave has
minimum amplitude.
• The opposite of a node is an anti-node, a point where the
amplitude of the standing wave is a maximum. These occur
midway between the nodes.
• A Wavelength is the distance measured in the direction of
propagation of a wave, between two successive points in the
wave that are characterized by the same phase of oscillation.
• Frequency describes the number of waves that pass a fixed
place in a given amount of time. The SI unit is Hertz.
• A Period is the time required to make one complete cycle.
Basic Formulas

𝒗 = 𝒇𝝀 𝒗 – wave speed
𝒇 – frequency

1 𝝀 − wavelength
T – period
𝒇=
𝑇
Examples
1. An anchored boat is observed to rise and fall once every 4.0 s
as waves whose crests are 25 m apart pass by it. Find the
frequency and speed of the waves.
1 1 1
f= = = 0.25 = 0.25Hz
T 4.0 s s
𝑣 = fλ = 0.25𝐻𝑧 25𝑚 = 6.3 𝑚/𝑠
2. Waves in a lake are 5.00 m in length and pass an anchored
boat 1.25 s apart. The speed of the waves is
Mechanical Waves

Surface Waves in Water


Electromagnetic Waves

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