1. Wave types & characteristics
WAVES
Wave types & characteristics
Tuning forks
Seismic Waves

2. Wave Types
Waves are a means by which energy is transferred from one point to another.
In a transverse wave, the medium vibrates in a direction at right angles to the direction the wave travels.(up and down)
In a longitudinal or compression wave, the medium vibrates parallel to the direction the wave travels.(back and forth)

3. A transverse wave is a wave in which the particles of the medium are displaced in a direction perpendicular to the direction of energy transport.

4. Transverse Wave Examples
Transverse waves: vibrate at right angles to the direction of travel--up and down motion.
(visible light, Infra Red light, Ultra Violet light, gamma rays, x-rays, AM-FM radio, microwave, etc.
Wave in ballgame: someone in the stands may start up a "wave" by standing up and then sitting down. The people on one side then stand up and sit down, then the next people, and so one. Everyone is still in their seats, but the wave traveled through the ballpark from one end to the other.
Rope or string: You can shake a rope, causing a wave motion. The parts of the rope only move up-and-down, but the wave moves from one end of the rope to the other. A guitar string also has this type of motion.

5. The crest of a wave is the point on the medium which exhibits the maximum amount of positive or upwards displacement from the rest position. (or the top of the wave)

6. Trough
The Trough of a wave is the point on the medium which exhibits the maximum amount of Negative or downward displacement from the rest position. (or the bottom of the wave)

7. A longitudinal wave is a wave in which the particles of the medium are displaced in a direction parallel to the direction of energy transport.

8. Longitudinal Wave Examples
Compression waves or Longitudinal waves: Back-and-forth motion creates compression or longitudinal waves (while longitudinal waves vibrate in the same direction as they travel). Longitudinal waves need a medium in which to travel. They cannot exist without one. Sound can not travel in a vacuum.
Slinky You can stretch out a Slinky along the floor and give one end a back-and-forth shove. The compression will move along the Slinky to its other end.
Sound waves A loudspeaker cone moves back-and-forth to create a sound, which is a compression wave.
AC electricity Electrons move back-and-forth in a wire, sending a wave of electric power through the wire. The electrons stay in their general region in AC electricity, while they flow throughout the wire in DC electricity.

9. Parts of a Wave Amplitude is the height of a wave from the
resting position. . As the energy of a wave increases,
amplitude increases.
The frequency represents the number of waves that pass by a point every second. As the energy of a wave increases; frequency increases.
Wavelength is the distance between two corresponding points on a wave. As the energy of a wave increases, wavelength decreases.

10. The amplitude of a wave refers to the maximum amount of displacement of a a particle on the medium from its rest position. The amount of energy carried by a wave is related to the amplitude of the wave.

12. A compression is a point on a medium through which a longitudinal wave is traveling which has the maximum density.
(Where the coils are closest together)

13. A region where the coils are spread apart, thus maximizing the distance between coils, is known as a rarefaction. A rarefaction is a point on a medium through which a longitudinal wave is traveling which has the minimum density. (where the coils are farthest apart)

14. Characteristics of Waves: a
Characteristics of Waves: a. Frequency – the number of complete waves passing a point in space per second; depends on the source b. Wavelength – the distance from a point in a wave to the next point that wave in the same phase, often symbolized with λ (lambda) (either crest to crest or trough to trough)

15. The Wave Equation The speed of a wave is given by the equation
v is the speed of the wave measured in m/s,
f is the frequency of the wave measured in Hz
λ is the wavelength of the wave measured in m.