What is a wave

A WAVE is a vibration or disturbance in space.

What is a wave ?
It is the process of propagating oscillation (or rhythmic
disturbance) in space or in matter.
What are transmitted by a wave?
Energy and momentum, but not the particles
Types of Waves
There are two main types of waves

 Mechanical waves - some physical medium is being disturbed.

 Electromagnetic waves – no medium required.

 Mechanical Waves
What is a Mechanical waves?

Is a disturbance that travels through particles of the medium to

transfer the energy.

particles oscillate around their equilibrium position but do not travel

particles oscillate around their equilibrium position but do not travel
Mechanical waves require Medium to travel
Medium is a substance through which a wave can travel
Water
Ice
Air
String
Examples of the mechanical waves are:
1. water waves
2. sound waves
3. waves on a string (rope),
4. waves in a spring seismic waves (Earthquake waves).
Mechanical Wave Requirements
 Some source of disturbance
 A medium that can be disturbed
 Some physical mechanism through which elements of the
medium can influence each other

Pulse on a String
 The wave is generated by a flick
on one end of the string
 The string is under tension
 A single bump is formed and
travels along the string
 The bump is called a pulse
Pulse on a String
 The wave is generated
by a flick on one end of
the string
 The string is under
tension
 A single bump is
formed and travels
along the string
 The bump is called a
pulse
Pulse on a String
 The string is the medium through which the pulse
travels.
 The pulse has a definite height.
 The pulse has a definite speed of propagation along
the medium.
 The shape of the pulse changes very little as it
travels along the string.
 A continuous flicking of the string would produce a
periodic disturbance which would form a wave.
Transverse Wave
 A traveling wave or pulse
that causes the elements of
the disturbed medium to
move perpendicular to the
direction of propagation is
called a transverse wave
 The particle motion is
shown by the blue arrow
 The direction of propagation
is shown by the red arrow
 Types of Mechanical wave

progressive stationary wave

or
travelling wave

Transverse Longitudinal
progressive wave progressive wave

Transverse Wave
Is a wave in which the direction of vibrations of the particle is
perpendicular to the direction of the wavepropagation (wave speed)
direction of
vibrations
particle direction of the propagation
of wave

T= Period
 Longitudinal progressive wave
A wave in which the direction of vibrations of the particle is parallel
to the direction of the wave propagation (wave speed)

particle
direction of vibrations direction of the propagation
of wave
Terminology: Amplitude and
Wavelength
 The crest of the wave
is the location of the
maximum displacement
of the element from its
normal position
 This distance is called
the amplitude, A
 The wavelength, l, is
the distance from one
crest to the next
Terminology: Wavelength and
Period
 More generally, the wavelength is the minimum
distance between any two identical points on
adjacent waves.

 The period, T , is the time interval required for two

identical points of adjacent waves to pass by a
point.

 The period of the wave is the same as the

period of the simple harmonic oscillation of
one element of the medium.
Amplitude – Maximum distance the wave vibrates from its rest position.
OR
Amplitude tells you about how much energy the wave carries

High energy waves have high amplitude and low energy waves have
low amplitude.
Which one of these waves has a larger amplitude?

A
B

C
 Terminology: Frequency
 The frequency, ƒ, is the number of crests (or any point on
the wave) that pass a given point in a unit time interval.
 The time interval is most commonly the second.
 The frequency of the wave is the same as the frequency of
the simple harmonic motion of one element of the medium.

1
 The frequency and the period are related ƒ
T
 When the time interval is the second, the units of
frequency are s-1 = Hz
 Hz is a hertz
 Wave Frequency
1
 The frequency and the period are related as follows: ƒ 
T

 When the time interval is the second, the units of frequency

are s-1= Hz.
 Hz is a hertz

When frequency increases, wavelength decreases.

Which one of these waves has a higher frequency?

A
B
 Wave speed, v

is defined as the distance travelled by a wave profile per unit time

It moves a distance of l in time T hence

and

The S.I. unit of wave speed is m s1

 Traveling Pulse
 The shape of the pulse at
t = 0 is shown
 The shape can be
represented by
y (x,0) = f (x)
 This describes the
transverse position y of the
element of the string
located at each value of x
at t = 0
Traveling Pulse, 2
 The speed of the pulse is v
 At some time, t, the pulse
has traveled a distance vt
 The shape of the pulse
does not change.
 The position a pulse that is
travelling to the right is
now.
y = f (x – vt)
 Traveling Pulse, 3
 For a pulse traveling to the right.
 y (x, t) = f (x – vt)
 For a pulse traveling to the left.
 y (x, t) = f (x + vt)
 The function y is also called the wave function:
y (x, t)
 The wave function represents the y coordinate of any
element located at position x at any time t.
 The y coordinate is the transverse position.
 If t is fixed then the wave function is called the waveform.
 It defines a curve representing the actual geometric
shape of the pulse at that time.
Sinusoidal Waves
 The wave represented by
the curve shown is a
sinusoidal wave.
 It is the same curve as sin q
plotted against q.
 This is the simplest
example of a periodic
continuous wave.
 It can be used to build more
complex waves.
Sinusoidal Waves, cont
 The wave moves toward the right.
 In the previous example, the brown wave represents the
initial position.
 As the wave moves toward the right, it will eventually be at
the position of the blue curve.

 Each element moves up and down in simple

harmonic motion.
 It is important to distinguish between the motion of
the wave and the motion of the particles of the
medium.
Speed of Waves
 Waves travel with a specific speed
 The speed depends on the properties of the
medium being disturbed
 The wave function is given by
 2 
y ( x, t )  A sin   x  vt  
l 
 This is for a wave moving to the right
 For a wave moving to the left, replace x – vt
with x + vt
Wave Function, Another Form
 Since speed is distance divided by time,
v=l/T
 The wave function can then be expressed as
  x t 
y ( x, t )  A sin 2    
  l T 
 This form shows the periodic nature of y
 y can be used as shorthand notation for y(x, t)
Wave Equations
 We can also define the angular wave number
(or just wave number), k
2
k
l
 The angular frequency can also be defined
2
  2 ƒ
T
Wave Equations, cont
 The wave function can be expressed as
y = A sin (k x – t)
 The speed of the wave becomes v = l ƒ
 If x   at t = 0, the wave function can be
generalized to
y = A sin (k x – t + f)
where f is called the phase constant
Sinusoidal Wave on a String
 To create a series of
pulses, the string can
be attached to an
oscillating blade
 The wave consists of a
series of identical
waveforms
 The relationships
between speed,
velocity, and period
hold
Sinusoidal Wave on a String, 2
 Each element of the string
oscillates vertically with
simple harmonic motion
 For example, point P
 Every element of the string
can be treated as a simple
harmonic oscillator vibrating
with a frequency equal to
the frequency of the
oscillation of the blade
 Sinusoidal Wave on a String, 3
 The transverse speed of the
element is
dy 
vy 
dt  x constant
 or vy = -A cos(kx – t)
 This is different than the speed
of the wave itself
 Sinusoidal Wave on a String, 4
 The transverse
acceleration of the element
is dv
ay  
y

dt  x constant
 or ay = -2A sin(kx – t)

 Quick Quiz 16.3: The amplitude of a wave is doubled, with

no other changes made to the wave. As a result of this
doubling, which of the following statements is correct.
A. The speed of the wave changes, B. The frequency of
the wave changes, C. The max transverse speed of an
element of the medium changes. D. A through C, E. All.
Sinusoidal Wave on a String, 5
 The maximum values of the transverse speed
and transverse acceleration are
 vy, max = A
 ay, max = 2A
 The transverse speed and acceleration do
not reach their maximum values
simultaneously
 v is a maximum at y = 0
 a is a maximum at y = ±A
 Terminology, Example16.2
A sinusoidal wave travelling in the positive x direction has
an amplitude of 15.0 cm, a wavelength of 40.0 cm, and a
frequency of 8.00 Hz. The vertical position of an element
of the medium at t = 0 and x = 0 is also 15 cm as shown in
the diagram.
 Data:
The wavelength, l = 40.0 cm
 The amplitude, A = 15.0 cm
 The wave function can be
written in the form
y = A cos(kx – t)
 Find k, T,  and v Definition: k =2/l
 Determine f Define, T,  and v
 Speed of a Wave on a String

 The speed of the wave depends on the physical

characteristics of the string and the tension to which the
string is subjected

tension T
v 
mass/length 
 This assumes that the tension is not affected by the pulse
 This does not assume any particular shape for the pulse
 Behavior of Waves
1. Reflection at a boundary

A transverse pulse wave travels along a string and reaches a boundary

Reflection at a fixed end boundary

What happens when it is reflected at the boundary?

Reflected pulse is inverted (changes a phase of 180o),

Reflection of a Wave, Fixed
End
 When the pulse
reaches the support,
the pulse moves back
along the string in the
opposite direction
 This is the reflection of
the pulse
 The pulse is inverted
 Reflection at a free end boundary

A transverse wave is reflected without change of phase

Reflection of a Wave, Free End
 With a free end, the
string is free to move
vertically
 The pulse is reflected
 The pulse is not
inverted
 The reflected pulse has
the same amplitude as
the initial pulse
 A transverse wave on a string (or wire, rope, cable, etc.)

From thin to thick section of the rope (What are your Observations?)

From thick to thin section of the rope(What are your Observations?)

Transmission of a Wave
 When the boundary is
intermediate between
the last two extremes
 Part of the energy in
the incident pulse is
reflected and part
undergoes
transmission
 Some energy
passes through the
boundary
 Transmission of a Wave, 2
 Assume a light string is attached to a heavier
string.

 The pulse travels through the light string and

reaches the boundary.

 The part of the pulse that is reflected is inverted.

 The reflected pulse has a smaller amplitude

Transmission of a Wave, 3
 Assume a heavier
string is attached to a
light string
 Part of the pulse is
reflected and part is
transmitted
 The reflected part is not
inverted
 Transmission of a Wave
 Conservation of energy governs the pulse
 When a pulse is broken up into reflected and transmitted parts at
a boundary, the sum of the energies of the two pulses must
equal the energy of the original pulse.

 When a wave or pulse travels from medium A to medium

B and vA > vB, it is inverted upon reflection
 B is denser than A.

 When a wave or pulse travels from medium A to medium

B and vA < vB, it is not inverted upon reflection
 A is denser than B.