St.

Anthony's

Canossian

Secondary

School

Sec 3NA Science

(Physics)

Notes

General Wave Properties

At the end of the lesson, students should be able to: (a) describe what is meant by wave motion as illustrated by vibrations in ropes and springs and by waves in a ripple tank (b) show understanding that waves transfer energy without transferring matter (c) define speed, frequency, wavelength, period and amplitude (d) state what is meant by the term wavefront (e) recall and apply the relationship velocity related problems

= frequency

x wavelength to new situations or to solve

(g) compare transverse and longitudinal waves and give suitable examples of each

A wave is a vibration or disturbance that transfers ..

e.I'\~f..!?l~
and

without transferring

.'X'f(\.-:lt.e,( .'.. .. .. .... ..

There are two kinds of wave,

tf0:!,$.'!.~

~!:tY.J:\~~
Longitudinal Wave

Transverse Wave Definition: Ifl\ns\lOft.D

I Definition: ~ihLvuJ wttve 1,clIJd ~tA.l:lAl~_jp---=Lhe_dl..e,: .hm~:LP.cYall(J_jp 4k JI~C.~ ~ ~ -+k. f_JThd..eA -6])-~t!rr~ 6b-~-ra-rh(.~ _v"h!,,-n.O'I
l,.UaV~ trQV.e
-'-I)

+k2~llun
11
direction of wave travel

1;~LULI1'

> direck
J~rUhon

direction of vibration of particles in medium

0(
~

-trolA'Z I

61 Wcwl2

pOJhc.\4.1. Vi\tfCAnM
J

Examples:
f

L i~l, t J fOre wew )( _ I't>-j

1'\'\

wc<-k.-r .. ~lIe

Example:

W6-Ue

A-ll etu.-lvo

. L'c..

Ul

aile)

When the wave travels, the particles do not move with the wave. They only vibrate about their equilibrium position. .
Page 1 014

Depending longitudinal

on the direction of vibration, and the transverse wave

the same

slinky can be used to produce

both the

On: Locate the crests, troughs, rarefaction and compression

direction of wave motion

in the diagrams below.

push

pulldirection of vibration

direction oi
vibr,ltion of

particles of medium

left

crest rest A position (of undisturbed particles of the ropes) -A Terms I unit Amplitude, ( A ) 1-,. ) f The distance between two consecutive points that are in phase. The maximum displacement

.. ,~
'm\i~';"n;;;r~_d_e'_A_-. \ \.,-")amPlitude. ~Itrough Explanation of the particles. A distance along the rope/m

----;-;~~9h~ .... J,

m
rY\

Wavelength, (

(e.g. distance between 2 consecutive crests, troughs or compressions) The number of complete waves produced per second or

Frequency,

( H-z.)
Period, T

The number of waves that pass through a point in one second. The time taken to produce one complete wave or The time taken by one particle of the wave to make a complete oscillation. The distance travelled by the wave in one second. (It tells us how fast the wave is moving). An imaginary on a wave that joins all the points that are in phase.

Wave Speed, v

( m15)
Wavefront

d lS+""'CQ..
~
Page 2 of 4

i)
I~

W~~ts

."
~,. IVt:lVtl~-IJ

- WR.~#. LA)

Wave Equation

I v = f I.. I where v = velocity of the wave (m/s), IT = 1I fI

where T

f = frequency (Hz) and I.. is the wavelength (m).

= period (s), f = frequency

(Hz).

Practice Questions (1) Complete the table below Frequency of wave 5 Hz 20 Hz Period Wavelength of wave Speed of wave

0-2
0-055
2s

0.2 m

Iml s
0.5 mls 1.5 mls

O'O).Srn

o.51-h

3m

(2) A certain radio wave has a frequency Of x What is the speed of the radio wave?

1t

H~and a wavelength o~ 5~ m) \.:.

(3) A transver:z. wave has a velocitho~ m/s)nd a frequency What is th"(!istance between the 2 crest of this wave})

Of6,01o

HZ)

)\v

V .:

+ 71

/}::

(4) Draw a full scale diagram of a complete wave that has fm amplitude of 1 cm and a wavelength of 6 cm

..Y + -

-'0-0-0-

300

o. 3 "'" /. ".//

Ion ... - ..

\UlI

- .

of

(5) A sour e ofrequency 500 Hz}mits waves o(wavelength 0.2 m) How long does it take for the wave to travel 400 m?

~
~

The 1V-r/YIultl >r-ud;;

Page 3 of 4

:-t
.

V;tl\:::500)l.

0-1

:. lOOmIs

/1'\4

~ ~J
too ..

In

+h IS

cMap-tP<

- 400
100

(6) The lines below represent the crests of a transverse wave.

I '1

q. ~ (,

, IS

16

(a) What is the wavelength of the wave?

A ~ Ib

-r ;

2yYl~

(b) If 5 waves are produced in every second, (i) what is the frequency of the wave?

:5- ;
(ii)

5 '-h_1' -L

what is the period of the wave?

...lf ; T~
(iii)

:: 0-

2s

what is the speed of the wave?

(7) (a) The figure below is a displacement-distance graph of ripples on the surface of water in a ripple tank.

Determine (i) the amplitude of the ripples

(ii) the wavelength of the ripples

li) o.6m
(b)

(!

What is the frequency of the wave if the wave travel at a speed of 2.5 m/s?

Page40f4