Understanding Waves

By Ms Nurul Ain Mat Aron

describe what is meant by wave motion
recognise that waves transfer energy without transferring matter
compare transverse waves and longitudinal waves and give
examples of each
state what is meant by a wavefront
state the direction of propagation of waves in relation to wavefronts
define:
i. amplitude
ii. period
iii. frequency
iv. wavelength
v. wave speed
Objectives
Introduction
If you throw a stone into a pond, you will see a circular waves spreading
outwards on the water surface
Waves Motion
fixed
rod
hand
ribbon
Waves motion
What will happen to the ribbon when the hand holding the other end of the
rope is moved up and down??
Gains Kinetic
Energy
1. The particles of the rope do not move forward with the wave
2. The rope is the medium through which the wave propagates
Waves Motion
Waves motion
What will happen to ball if we use a stick to disturb the water surface?
Gains Kinetic
Energy
1. The particles of the water do not move forward with the wave
2. The water is the medium through which the wave propagates
Types of Waves
A wave is a disturbance that transfers energy between two points through
vibrations in a medium without transferring matter between the two points.
Waves
Transverse wave Longitudinal waves
Transverse Waves
Types of Waves
A transverse wave is a wave in which the particles of the medium oscillate in
the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the waves move
1
Waves motion
X
Examples of transverse wave are water waves and electromagnetic waves
Longitudinal Waves
Types of Waves
A longitudinal wave is a wave in which the particles of the medium oscillate
in the direction parallel to the direction in which the waves move
2
Waves motion
X
An example of longitudinal wave is sound waves
Ripple Tank
Ripple Tank
1. When water waves are produced
in a ripple tank by dipping a finger
on its surface, ripples are seen
spreading outwards.

2. Ripples are made up of the
peaks(or crests) of the water
waves.

Wavefronts
peak
trough
Wave direction
Wavefronts
wave front
A wavefront is an imaginary line that joins all the points on the crest of a wave
peak
trough
Wavefronts
The direction of wave is always perpendicular to the wavefronts
Oscillating System
A wave is produced by oscillations (or vibrations) in a medium.
An oscillation is a to and fro movement along a fixed path.
Simple pendulum A loaded spring
Oscillating System
A
B
O
One complete oscillation is a to and fro movement of a body when it:
i. has returned t its original position;
ii. is moving in the same original position
A O B O A
Oscillating System
A
B
O
B O A O B
B
Amplitude, a
A B
O
Amplitude, a, is the maximum displacement from the equilibrium (or
mean, or rest or undisturbed) position.
a
a
a
a
A
O
B
Period, T and frequency, f
A
B
O
Period, T is the time taken to complete one oscillation
Frequency, f is the number of oscillations produces in one second.
The unit for frequency, hertz (Hz)
f =
-2
2
Period, T and frequency, f
A
B
O
The oscillation of a loaded spring can be represented by a graph of
displacement (y) against time(t)
Example 1
Displacement, y/ cm
Time, t/s
0.4 0.8
1.2
-2
2
Period, T and frequency, f
Example 1
Displacement, y/ cm
Time, t/s
0.4 0.8
1.2
From the graph, calculate:
a) Amplitude, a
b) Period, T
c) Frequency, f
Answer: 2 m, 0.8s and 1.25 Hz
O
Describing a Wave
A Displacement Distance Graph
Displacement, y/ cm
Distance/m
A
B C
D
E
F
a
a


O
Describing a Wave
A Displacement time Graph
Displacement, y/ cm
Time, t/s
A
B C
D
E
F
a
a
T
T
Wave Speed, v
The wave speed, v is the distance moved by a crest in one second.
As the wave moves forward a distance of in a time equal to 1
period, T.
Wave Speed, v
Calculate the wave speed if its wavelength and frequency are 2.5 cm
and 12 Hz respectively.
Problem 1
Answer: v = 30 cm/s
A wave travels with a speed of 3.0 x 10^8 m/s.
a) What is the frequency of the wave if its wavelength is 1.5 m?
b) Another wave is travelling with the same speed but has a
frequency of 1.0 x 10 ^12Hz. What is the wavelength of the wave?
Answer:
a) f = 2.0 x 10^8 Hz
b) 3.0 x 10^-4
Problem 2
Wave Speed, v
A string tied at one end is shaken at the frequency of 2 Hz to produce
a wave as shown below. What is the speed of the wave?
Problem 3
Answer: v = 60 cm/s
0
15 30 45
60 75 90
cm
Wave Speed, v
A leaf floats on the surface of a lake. If the frequency of the water
waves in the lake is 5 Hz. What is the time taken for the leaf to move
from the position of a wave crest to the next wave crest?
Problem 4
Answer: T = 0.2 s
Wave Speed, v
A vibrator dipped into a water in a ripple tank produces a wave of
speed 15 cm/s. If the wavelength of the wave if 3 cm, what is the
frequency of the vibrator?
Problem 5
Answer: 5 Hz
Effect of Damping
When a system is oscillating freely by itself, without any force applied
it is said to be oscillating in its natural frequency, f0.
In a free oscillation , the amplitude is constant with time
Damping
Damped oscillation are oscillations with decreasing energy and
decreasing amplitude.
Damped is caused by dissipative forces such as frictional forces and
air resistance.
The following are effects of damping.

a) The amplitude becomes smaller
with time
b) The frequency of oscillation
decreases with time.
Resonance
When no external force is applied to an oscillating system, the system
oscillates at its natural frequency.

When an external force is applied to an oscillating system, the system
is under forced oscillations
Resonance
Resonance occurs when a system is forced to oscillate at its natural
frequency.
When resonance occurs, the system oscillated with maximum
amplitude as maximum energy is transferred from the forcing system.
Resonance
takes place
when f = f0
Natural frequency, f0
Resonance
Bartons Pendulum
Resonance
Bartons Pendulum
a) A driver pendulum X is pulled aside and then released
b) The energy of the driver pendulum X is transmitted along the
supporting thread to other pendulums.
c) Pendulums A, B, C, D, E and F are in forced oscillation.
d) Only pendulum E oscillates with the biggest amplitude as it is
in resonance with X.
e) The reason is that X and E have the same length and hence the
forced frequency is equal to the natural frequency of X
Effects of Resonance
Sound produced by wind instruments
The production of sound from wind instruments
are caused by the effects of resonance.
When air is blown into the mouth piece, the air
column inside the instrument is set into
longitudinal vibrations
When the blowing frequency equals to the
natural frequency if the instruments, resonance
occurs and a loud sound is produced.
Ripple Tank
Ripple Tank
When water waves are produced on
the surface of the water, a wave
crest will act like a convex lens and
the wave trough will act like a
concave lens.
Hence the crest focuses the light to
for a bright fringe on the white
screen below the ripple tank and the
trough diverges the light and forma
a dark fringe on the white screen
Each bright and dark fringe
represents the wavefronts of the
water wave.
Ripple Tank
A hand stroboscope can be used to
freeze the motion of the water
waves.

A hand stroboscope is made of a
disc with 12 equally spaced slits cut
in it.

The fringe pattern will be seen
when the eye of the slits in front of
him


Ripple Tank
When the fringe pattern on the
white screen below the ripple tank
is frozen, the frequency of the water
waves is given by

f = n x rate of rotation of the
stroboscope

n = number of slits on the
stroboscope
Ripple Tank
A student uses a hand stroboscope which has 8 slits to view the
fringe pattern of water waves on a white screen below a ripple tank.
The stationary bright and dark fringes are observed when the
stroboscope is turning at the rate of 2 revolutions per second. If the
distance between 6 consecutive dark fringes is 11 cm. Calculate:

a) The frequency of the water waves
b) The speed of the water waves
Example 1
11.0 cm
Ripple Tank
The figure shows the pattern of plane water wavefronts in a ripple
tank. The frequency of the wave is 35 Hz. Calculate
a) The wavelength of the wave
b) The speed of the wave.
Example 2
35 cm