LESSON 1.

1 UNDERSTANDING WAVES Motion of waves

A wave is produced by a source of vibration or oscillating. As a wave travel through a medium, there is no transfer of matter but only transfer energy from a vibrating source. Mechanical waves need a material medium or their propagation. EX: water waves, sound waves. Electromagnetic waves DO NOT need a material or medium for their propagation. EX: radio waves, light waves, ultra-violet (UV)

Common terminology of vibration 1) Vibration : A periodic motion where the system performs a repeated to-and-fro motion about an equilibrium position. 2) Equilibrium position: The position of the object where no resultant force acts on the object. 3) One oscillation: TO-AND-FRO motion from the equilibrium position.

Equilibrium position

Transverse Waves The vibration of the particles of the medium is perpendicular (up and down) to the motion of the wave. Ex: water waves. Rope waves and waves on the springs.

Direction of vibration

Longitudinal Waves The vibration of the particles of the medium is along the direction of the propagation of the wave. ex: Waves on springs and sound waves.

Direction of vibration C=compression R= rarefactions

ACTIVITY 1.1 (a) 1. If the vibrations of a wave are at right angles to the direction of the wave, it is called a _____________________ wave. An example of this type of wave is _____________. 2. If the vibrations of a waves are along the direction of the wave, it is called a ____________________wave. An example of this type of wave is _______________. 3. State the similarities between a transverse wave and a longitudinal wave. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 4. State the difference between a transverse wave and a longitudinal wave. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________

WAVEFRONTS An imaginary line representing all the points of a wave that are in the same phase. For example a wavefront can be drawn by joining all the crests of a wave. The direction of the wave travel always perpendicular to the wavefront. Figure below show how circular wavefronts and plane wavefronts are produced.

ACTIVITY 1.1 (b) 1. Wave can be drawn on paper using lines to join adjacent points of the waves which are _______________. These lines are known as ______________ of the wave. If the lines are straight, then there are known as _____________________________ but if the lines are circular, then they are known as ___________________________. 2. The direction of propagation of a wave is always __________________ to the ________________ of the waves. 3. Draw the direction of propagation of wave for each of the following wavefronts. a) b)

Graph below shows the displacement of the above rope along its length at a certain instant of time.

Term Amplitude Wavelength Crest and troughs

Symbol a -

Explanations The maximum displacement of the oscillator from its equilibrium position. Distance between any two successive wave crest, troughs or points which are in phase. High points and low points that characterize transverse waves only.

Displacement time graph

Displacement distance graph

ACTIVITY 1.1 (c) Terms Wavefront Wavelength Amplitude Frequency Wavespeed Period Defined The displacement of a crest or a trough from the equilibrium position of a wave. The number of waves produced by a source in one unit time. The distance between two adjacent points of the same phase on wave. Lines joining all points of the same phase. The measurements of how fast a crest is moving from a fixed point. Time taken for an oscillation to complete one cycle.

2. If the period of an oscillating system is 0.2s and its wavelength is 60 cm, what is the velocity of the wave formed by this oscillating system?

3.Sketch a displacement-distance graph for a wave, showing three complete oscillations. On your graph, mark: a) The wavelength of the wave b) The amplitude of the wave

Example: An empty swing that swinging will eventually come to stop after sometime if is not pushed.

Resonance: A phenomenon that happens when a vibration system is forced to vibrate with its natural frequency.

Example: If an opera sings at the same frequency as the natural frequency of a glass, the glass tends to absorb more and more energy and eventually will break.

ACTIVITY 1.1 (d) 1. The natural frequency of a pendulum depends on the ___________ of the pendulum and is independent of __________________. 2. Explain what happens to a vibrating system after it is allowed to vibrate over a long period of time. __________________________________________________________________ 3. Resonance occurs when the applied ______________ of the vibration is equal to the ________________ of the vibrating system. 4. If two strings on the same guitar are tuned to exactly the same frequency and one of them is plucked, a) What will happen to the other string?

b) What is the effect stated in (a) called?