Unit 04

Waves and their Applications

Grade 11
Waves such as sound waves and light waves affect all aspects of our lives. We also use
many other types of waves to our advantage mainly in the field of communication.

A wave is disturbance travelling in a medium or space.

Waves are a mean of transferring energy from one place to another. They can also be used
to transfer information.

Some waves need a medium to propagate and are called Mechanical Waves. Based on the
direction of motion of particles in the medium and the direction of propagation of the
wave, mechanical waves can be divided into 02 types. Namely,

1. Transverse Waves
2. Longitudinal Waves

Transverse Waves…

Waves that propagate in a direction perpendicular to the direction the particles of the
medium move are called transverse waves.

Example : Water waves

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Longitudinal Waves…
If the particles of the medium oscillate parallel to the direction of wave propagation, such
waves are known as longitudinal waves.

Example : Sound waves

Physical Quantities Associated with Wave Motion

• Amplitude

The maximum displacement of particles taking part in the wave motion.

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 • Wavelength
The distance between one particle and the closest next particle taking part in the wave
motion having the same state of motion is known as the wavelength (λ) of the wave. (The
distance between two consecutive troughs or crests is equal to the wavelength)
• Period
The time taken by a particle for a complete oscillation is known as the period (T). The
time taken by a wave to travel a distance equal to the wavelength is also equal to the
period.
• Frequency

The number of oscillations carried out by a particle in a unit time is known as the
frequency (f). Frequency is equal to the reciprocal of the period. The unit used to
measure the frequency is known as Hertz (Hz) and one Hertz is defined as one oscillation
per second.
The speed of a wave is given by the equation

Speed = frequency x wavelength

Electromagnetic Waves
The participation of material particles of a medium is not required for the propagation of
electromagnetic waves.
While electromagnetic waves consist of electric fields and magnetic fields that oscillate in
directions perpendicular to each other, the wave propagates in a direction perpendicular to
the directions of both the electric and magnetic fields.

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Wave Type Uses Harmful effects

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Sound
Sounds are made by vibrating objects. We hear sounds when the vibrations reach our ears.
They strike the eardrum and make it vibrate. The vibrations are transmitted to the inner
ear through the middle ear, change in to electrical signals and transmitted to the brain. The
sound is interpreted by the auditory area of the brain.
Propagation of Sound Waves
Sound waves are longitudinal waves and they can travel through solids, liquids and gases.
Examples :
• Speed of sound through steel is about 5000 ms-1

• Speed of sound through water is about 1400 ms-1

• Speed of sound through dry air at 0 0C is about 330 ms-1 (At about 30 0C the speed
is about 350 ms-1)

Sound cannot travel through a vacuum because; there are no particles to carry vibrations.
Characteristics of Sound
The properties of sound that makes it possible to distinguish different sounds are called
characteristics of sound. That means sound characteristics are the sensations produced in
the ear that helps us to distinguish different sounds.
There are three main characteristics of sound.
• Pitch

• Loudness

• Quality of sound

Pitch
The pitch of the sound is related to its frequency. The pitch increases when the frequency
of vibration increase and the pitch decreases when the frequency of vibration decreases.

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Loudness
The loudness of a sound wave depends on the amplitude of the wave. The loudness
increases when the amplitude increases and the loudness decreases when the amplitude
decreases.

Quality of Sound
When a piano and a violin are played, even if both of them play a note with the same pitch
and the same loudness it is still possible to identify the sound of each instrument. Such
identification is possible due to a characteristic known as the quality of sound. Do not
draw the diagram

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Hearing Range of Humans
• The frequency range that we can hear is from 20 Hz to 20 000 Hz.

• The sound waves with a frequency below 20 Hz are called “Infra sounds”.

• The sound waves with a frequency of above 20 000 Hz are called “Ultra sounds”.

Uses of Ultra Sound Waves

• To find the depth of the sea. For this an instrument called SONAR (Sound
Navigation and Ranging) is used. This instrument is also used to investigate schools
of fish in deep sea and also to detect remnants of sunken ships.

• To examine internal organs of the body and also to observe the womb and the
condition of the fetus inside the womb (Ultrasound scanning)

• To blast bladder stones or Calcium Oxalate Crystals. (Lithotripsy)

• Used in ultrasound spectacles worn by blind people.

Bats use ultrasound waves to avoid obstacles at night. Dolphins use ultrasound waves to
find small fish for prey and to avoid sharks that attack them.
Ultrasound waves do not enter air after travelling through solid medium. This principle is
used to detect dangerous air gaps and fractures in solid components of air planes.

Musical Instruments
These instruments are built in such a way that they generate periodic vibrations that are
pleasing to the ear.
There are three types.
String Instruments
These generate sound by the vibration of stretched strings.
Examples : Guitar, Violin, Sitar, Banjo

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The frequency of sound generated by these instruments depends on;
• Length of the string

• Tension of the string

• Mass of a unit length of a string

Percussion Instruments

These generate sound by the vibration of stretched membranes, metal rods or metal plates.
They should be tapped to generate sound.

Examples: Rabana, Dawula, Udakkiya, Xylaphone, Symbol

Frequency of sound generated by these instruments depend on the area and the tension of
the membrane or the metal plate.

Wind Instruments

These generate sound by the vibration of an air column.

Examples : Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Bass, Recorder

Frequency of sound generated depends on the length of the air column.