Topic 4: Oscillations and waves (10 hours)

4.1 Kinematics of simple harmonic motion (SHM)

2 hours
Aim 7: Many computer simulations of SHM are availale!
Assessment statement Teachers notes
4.1.1 "escrie e#amples of oscillations!
4.1.2 "efine the terms displacement$ amplitude$
frequency$ period and phase difference!
The connection etween fre%uency and
period should e &nown!
4.1.3 "efine simple harmonic motion (SHM) and
state the definin' e%uation as
Students are e#pected to understand the
si'nificance of the ne'ative si'n in the
e%uation and to recall the connection
etween and T!
4.1.4 Solve prolems usin' the definin' e%uation for
SHM!
4.1.5 (pply the e%uations
as solutions to the definin' e%uation for SHM!
4.1.6 So lve prolems$ oth 'raphically and y
calculation$ for acceleration$ velocity and
displacement durin' SHM!
4.2 Energ changes !uring simple harmonic motion (SHM)
1 hour
Assessment statement Teachers notes
4.2.1 "escri#e the interchange #et$een %inetic
energ an! potential energ !uring SHM.
4.2.2 Appl the e&pressions
for the %inetic energ of a particle
un!ergoing SHM'
for the total energ an!
for the potential energ.
4.2.3 Sol(e pro#lems' #oth graphicall an! #
calculation' in(ol(ing energ changes !uring
SHM.
4.) *orce! oscillations an! resonance
) hours
Assessment statement Teachers notes
4.3.1 State what is meant by damping. It is sufficient for students to know that
damping involves a force that is always in the
opposite direction to the direction of motion of
the oscillating particle and that the force is a
dissipative force.
4.3.2 Describe eamples of damped
oscillations.
!eference should be made to the degree of
damping and the importance of critical
damping. " detailed account of degrees of
damping is not re#uired.
4.3.3 State what is meant by natural fre#uency of
vibration and forced oscillations.
4.3.4 Describe graphically the variation with forced
fre#uency of the amplitude of vibration of an ob$ect
close to its natural fre#uency of vibration.
Students should be able to describe #ualitatively
factors that affect the fre#uency response and
sharpness of the curve.
4.3.% State what is meant by resonance.
4.3.& Describe eamples of resonance where the effect is
useful and where it should be avoided.
'amples may include #uart( oscillators)
microwave generators and vibrations in
machinery.
4.4 +a(e characteristics
2 hours
Assessment statement Teachers notes
4.4.1 "escrie a wave pulse and a continuous
pro'ressive (travellin') wave!
Students should e ale to distin'uish
etween
oscillations and wave motion$ and
appreciate that$ in many e#amples$ the
oscillations of the particles are simple
harmonic!
4,4,2 State that pro'ressive (travellin') waves
transfer ener'y!
Students should understand that there is no
net motion of the medium throu'h which
the wave travels!
4.4.3 "escrie and 'ive e#amples of transverse and
of lon'itudinal waves!
Students should descrie the waves in
terms of
the direction of oscillation of particles in the
wave relative to the direction of transfer of
ener'y y the wave! Students should &now
that sound waves are lon'itudinal$ that li'ht
waves are transverse and that transverse
waves cannot e propa'ated in 'ases!
4.4.4 "escrie waves in two dimensions$ includin'
the concepts of wavefronts and of rays!
4.4.5 "escrie the terms crest$ trou'h$ compression
and rarefaction!
4.4.6 "efine the terms displacement$ amplitude$
frequency$ period$ wavelength$ wave speed
and intensity!
Students should &now that
intensity amplitude)!
4.4.7 "raw and e#plain displacement*time 'raphs
and displacement*position 'raphs for
transverse and for lon'itudinal waves!
4.4.8 "erive and apply the relationship etween
wave speed$ wavelen'th and fre%uency!
4.4.9 State that all electroma'netic waves travel with
the same speed in free space$ and recall the
orders
of ma'nitude of the wavelen'ths of the
principal radiations in the electroma'netic
spectrum!
4., +a(e properties
2 hours
Assessment statement Teachers notes
4!+!1 "escrie the reflection and transmission of
waves at a oundary etween two media!
This should include the s&etchin' of
incident$
reflected and transmitted waves!
4!+!) State and apply Snell,s law! Students should e ale to define refractive
inde# in terms of the ratio of the speeds of
the wave in the two media and also in
terms of the an'les of incidence and
refraction!
4!+!- .#plain and discuss %ualitatively the diffraction
of waves at apertures and ostacles!
The effect of wavelen'th compared to
aperture or ostacle dimensions should e
discussed!
4!+!4 "escrie e#amples of diffraction!
4!+!+ State the principle of superposition and e#plain
what is meant y constructive interference and
y
destructive interference!
4!+!/ State and apply the conditions for constructive
and for destructive interference in terms of
path
difference and phase difference!
4!+!0 (pply the principle of superposition to
determine the resultant of two waves!