1. Mechanical Waves

2. Mechanical Waves
A mechanical wave is created when a source of energy causes a vibration to travel through a medium (water, air, soil, etc.)

3. Parts of a Wave
Crest: The highest point of a wave Trough: The lowest point of a wave Wavelength: The distance between two crests

4. Types of waves
There are three types of mechanical waves Transverse Waves Longitudinal Waves Surface Waves

5. Transverse Waves
A transverse wave is a wave the causes the medium to vibrate at right angles to the direction that the wave travels

6. Longitudinal Waves
A longitudinal wave is a wave in which the vibration of the medium is parallel to the direction the wave travels A longitudinal wave utilizes compression and rarefaction

8. Surface Waves
A surface wave is a wave that travels along a surface separating two types of media Example: A wave that travels between land and sea

9. Properties of Mechanical Waves
Any motion that repeats at regular intervals is called periodic motion The time required for a complete cycle of a wave is called a period

11. Properties of Mechanical Waves
Any periodic motion has what is called a frequency. This is the amount of cycles within a given time. Frequency is measured in Hertz (Hz)

12. Properties cont.
The wavelength is the distance between one point on a wave to another

13. Properties cont.
Increasing the frequency of a wave decreases its wavelength

14. Wave Speed
To calculate the speed of waves you take the wavelength and multiply it by the frequency Wave Speed = Frequency x Wavelength

15. Amplitude
Amplitude of a wave is the maximum displacement from the resting point The more energy a wave has, the greater its amplitude

16. Amplitude