Waves! …Of all kinds
What are waves? Wave – Energy that is transferred through a medium, or a source. What’s energy? The ability to do work.
There are two kinds of waves Mechanical Electromagnetic
Mechanical Waves Ex. Ocean Waves Need a medium: a material through which a wave travels. Note this is only true for mechanical waves Electromagnetic waves can travel through space!
How do waves transfer energy? Do waves move material? Yes, but not the way you think it does. Material does not move in the same direction as the energy. Have you ever gone to the beach and waited for a good body surfing wave?
Waves Wave motion The wave moves water up and back toward the crest Then down and forward toward the trough. Water moves in little circles! Only the energy moves. WATCH!
What causes waves? Mechanical waves are produced when a source of energy causes a medium to vibrate. AKA, A disturbance!
Types of Mechanical Waves There are two kinds: Transverse Longitudinal Rope exercise.
Transverse Waves Properties of a transverse wave
Longitudinal Waves Also known as compression waves Slinky exercise
Longitudinal Waves Properties of longitudinal waves.
Longitudinal Waves Parts of longitudinal waves. Compression Rarefaction
Electromagnetic Waves Do not need a medium Examples: X-Rays, Gamma Rays, Microwaves, Light Waves, and Radio Waves.
Wave Properties Amplitude Wave Length Frequency Speed
Wave Properties Amplitude, wavelength, frequency, speed
Amplitude A measure of how high the crest is from rest position Or a measure of the intensity of the compression
Wavelength The distance from crest to crest, or trough to trough
Wavelength Or from the center of one compression or rarefaction to the center of the next compression or rarefaction
Frequency and Speed Frequency: How many waves pass a point in a given amount of time. Example: on the beach you may average 3 waves each minute. What’s the waves frequency?
Speed Speed – How fast the wave is moving. It is closely related to frequency
Wave Speed To calculate wave speed you need to know Wavelength (distance between waves) Measured in Meters (m) Wave Period (time it takes for two crests to pass a particular point Measured in Seconds (s) OR Wave Frequency (# waves that pass a point in a given amount of time.) Speed= distance/time (S=d/t) so… S= wavelength /period OR S= (wavelength)(Frequency)
Try One A wave has a frequency of 3 waves per second. What is its speed if its wave length is 3 meters? 4 waves pass a fixed point in 2 seconds. If the wave has a wave length of 3 meters, what is its speed?