Waves Notes Form5 S
Waves Notes Form5 S
1. The speed of sound wave in air is 330 m/s. What is wavelength of a sound wave of
frequency 170 Hz?
Data : v = 330 m/s, f = 170 Hz, λ = ?
v = fλ
λ = v/f
= 330 m s-1/170 Hz = 1.94 m
2. Determine the speed of a wave with a frequency of 1.0 kHz and wavelength of 0.2 m?
Data: f =1.0 kHz = 1000 Hz, λ = 0.2 m, v= ?
v = fλ
= 1000 Hz x 0.2 m
= 200 m/s
WAVE GRAPHS
There are two ways of representing waves; plotting
• a displacement- distance graph
• a Displacement- time graph
displacement- distance graph
wavelength = 2.0 cm
amplitude = 5.0 cm
In a displacement – distance graph, one complete cycle represent one wavelength.
This graph can be used to find the period (T) of a wave. One complete cycle represent the
period (T).
Period T = 2.0 s
Frequency f = 1/2.0 s =0.5 Hz
Amplitude a = 3.0 cm.
Wave fronts:
Lines joining points on different waves produced by same source at the same time OR lines
drawn to represent the positions of the crests on a wave.
• A circular wavefronts are used to represent circular waves (ripples) and are
concentric. Circular waves can be produced by a single point source(e.g. a finger or
vibrating dipper in a ripple tank)
• Straight wavefronts are used for straight water waves and are parallel. Straight
waves can be produced using a vibrating bar or a ruler.
Refraction: if a small glass is placed in the centre of ripple tank the depth of the water
here is reduced. As the water waves enter this region we can see that the wavelength
changes because the speed changes but the frequency remains the same. The wavelength
will increase when the wave enters the deeper water again indicating that the speed has
increased.
The ratio of the speed (velocity) v1 of waves in deep water to the speed v2 water in shallow
water is known as refractive index.
Notice that if the boundary between shallow and deep water is at an angle to the direction in
which water waves are moving, the direction of the wave of travel will change. The wave is
said to have been refracted or undergone refraction.
The waves bend towards the normal as they enter shallow water and are slowed down. They
bend away from the normal as they leave shallow water and enter deep water.
9.5 DIFFRACTION
When waves enter/pass through an opening (gap), they often spread out even to regions that
are not directly in front of the entrance. When the waves spread through a gap or around an
obstacle, this effect is called diffraction.
When a wave is diffracted, its wavelength does not change. However, the size of its
wavelength affects how much it is diffracted.
Note: a) if wavelength is similar to the size of the gap, the waves are strongly diffracted.
b) If the wavelength is much smaller than the size of the gap, the waves are weakly
diffracted.
c) If the gap is much wider, diffraction is also weaker (see diagram (a) above).
QUESTIONS
1. How is a wave produced? Give two examples of different ways of producing waves.
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2. What is the difference between the longitudinal and transverse waves? Give two
examples for each.
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3. What is meant by a compression and rarefaction in a spring?
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4. What is the speed of a wave of frequency 400 kHz with wavelength 2.0 m?
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5. Water waves are produced with a frequency of 4 Hz, by hitting the water surface with
the tip of a pencil. If the waves travel 20 m in 10 s, what is
Fig. 7.0
On the diagram use arrows to show:
8. In the diagram on the below, waves are moving towards a harbour wall
9. The diagram below represents water waves travelling across a boundary between deep
water and shallow water. The waves in deep water have been drawn, but those in the
shallow water are missing. Waves travel more slowly in shallow water than in deep
water. Copy the diagram and complete it to show how the waves might behave in the
shallow water.
10. The diagram below shows waves being produced in a ripple tank by a wave machine.