Properties of Waves INSANE wave pool in Tokyo. Where's the water? - YouTube INSANE wave pool in Tokyo. Where's the water? - YouTube A wave is a disturbance that transports energy from one location to another without transportation of matter. Ex: the people in the video did not travel across the pool, instead they moved locally up and down, or oscillated. This motion is very similar to what molecules do when a wave passes through. The medium is the physical environment through which a wave can travel. ex: people are a medium for this wave.
Properties of Waves Waves that require a medium are called mecahnical waves. Waves in water (or people) are mechanical waves. Electromagnetic waves (visible light, radio waves, microwaves, x-rays) can travel through a vacuum, therefore are not classified as mechanical waves.
Properties of Waves Types of Waves Pulse wave = a wave that is a single traveling pulse Periodic wave = a repeated series of pulse waves Sine wave = a special case of a periodic wave where the wave has a source that vibrates with simple harmonic motion
Properties of Waves Transverse Wave = a wave whose particles vibrate perpendicular to the direction the wave is traveling. (ex: people in a wave pool) Longitudinal Wave = a wave whose particles vibrate parallel to the direction the wave is traveling. Usually found in density or pressure settings. (ex: sound waves through air)
Properties of Waves Parts of a wave Crest = the highest point above the equilibrium position. Trough = the lowest point below the equilibrium position. Wavelength (λ) = the distance between two adjacent similar points of a wave (crest to crest or trough to trough).
Properties of Waves Transverse Waves Longitudinal Waves
Properties of Waves One wavelength is when vibrating particles of the medium complete one full cycle. Therefore wave frequency describes the number of waves that pass a given point in a unit of time. The period is the time required for one complete cycle of vibrations of the medium’s particles, or for how long it takes one complete wavelength to pass a given point.
Properties of Waves Equations v = distance/time = wavelength/period v = λ/T f = 1/T Therefore: v = fλ Speed = frequency * wavelength Ignore any damping, or decrease in amplitude over time