Waves Randall Physics 2011
Waves What is a wave? Examples?
Wave Types Mechanical Wave Electromagnetic Wave Disturbance that travels through a medium Produced by vibration of particles Transports energy Electromagnetic Wave No need for medium to travel Produced by vibration of charged particles
Wave Properties
Vocabulary Longitudinal Waves (long) – particles vibrate at a 90 degree angle to the direction the energy in the wave travels Transverse Waves (compression) (trans = across) – particles vibrate in the same direction as the energy in the wave travels
Vocabulary Longitudinal Waves (long) (compression) Transverse Waves (trans = across) Amplitude - A Wavelength - Frequency (Hertz = Hz) - f Period (s) - T Velocity - v
Wave Speed Velocity depends on the medium So for a specific medium, there is a specific velocity v = f Wavelength increases, what happens to the frequency? The velocity?
High Speed Physics If a wave has a wavelength of 10 m, and a frequency of 2 Hz, what is its velocity? If a wave takes 2 seconds to pass by (period) and is 4 meters long, what is its velocity? If a wave has a velocity of 6 m/s and is 12 meters long, what is its frequency?
New Stuff How do waves propagate? The energy of a wave is proportional to the amplitude squared E A2 What happens to the energy when the amplitude is tripled? Halved?
Questions Why doesn’t a floating buoy move with the waves? Describe how the fans in a stadium must move in order to produce a longitudinal stadium wave. Give evidence to support the claim that sound is energy transferred by a wave, not energy transferred by particles.
Questions In Star Wars III, Luke and Han are escaping on the Millennium Falcon and being shot at by a Star Destroyer. Why are the sound effects incorrect?
Energy Spring Lab – the move we moved our hands, the more energy we used. Moving our hands more gave us more Amplitude E A2
Intensity As you get farther from a source, the energy doesn’t disappear, BUT! It is spread out more. We call this Intensity. I 1 / r2 At a Lady Gaga concert, Jose starts out close to the stage but moves 2x as far from the stage for the second half. The music is not ½ as loud, it is 1/4th as loud.
Velocity and Temperature Temperature changes the velocity of a wave (because it changes the medium) The warmer the air is, the faster sound will travel. v = 330 m/s + (.6 * temperature in °C)
Characteristics of Waves Interference Reflection Refraction Diffraction
Interference What happens when waves pass each other? What happens to the particle? What happens to the energy of the disturbance?
Interference Superposition - 2 or more waves travel through the same medium at the same time These waves will interfere Does A depend on v? f ? ?
Interference If two speakers are sending out the exact same signal, what do you hear? How might you move them to change the sound you hear?
Interference If 2 waves are “in phase,” the crests line up with each other. How do they interfere? If 2 waves are “out of phase,” one crest lines up with one trough. How will their wavelengths compare in each case? http://lectureonline.cl.msu.edu/%7Emmp/kap13/cd371.htm
Interference Example Two speakers generate the same signal at the same time with a frequency of 920 Hz. How far could you move them to completely cancel the intensity of the sound? (The speed of sound in air is 340 m/s) Students complete this one
Interference Constructive - wave amplitudes reinforce each other
Interference Destructive - wave amplitudes oppose each other http://www.surendranath.org/Applets/Waves/Twave02/Twave02Applet.html
Interference Example
Interference Things can get complicated, even with only two waves
Summary Waves transmit energy Amplitude Energy f = 1/T v = f