2025 A/L Revision Advanced Level |PHYSICS

Vibrational behaviors of anobject

"There are two ways with which an object can vibrate

1. Natural vibrations: Providing the required energy to an object such that it vibrates with its natural

frequency.

2. Forced vibrations: Providingan object with energy continuously, such that the object vibrates to a
frequency that is externally determined.

Vibrathng objech with externol

periodve foree

Resonance

When an object is subject to forced vibration, when the external frequency with which the object is vibrated is equal

to the object.s natural frequency, it vibrates with the maximum amplitude. This is known as resonance.

ex:If the natural frequency of a simple pendulum is 100Hz, let.s consider an instance when the external

forced vibration frequency is increased from 20Hz to 200Hz

(A)
Resonance

Ifl external
f= 100Hz vibratiny
20Hz
fequanuy

$ Damped oscillations

In a practical oscillation, the oscillating amplitude reduces with time as a result of energy loss. However, the
periodic time remains constant.
•Ostilla tton tt which ampli tude does hot
Amplitude ehanses with hme
osei laien
un domped

time

Wave motion

A wave is the model used to transfer energy from one place to another. There are two basic types of waves.

Electromagnetic waves waves pro pergate wi thout dsturbig he parfhcles

Mechanical waves waves Properg ate by the
dsturbing par teles.

Mechanical waves and how they areformed

Mechanical waves include;

Transverse waves

Longitudinal waves
Transverse waves
These are waves where particles vibrate along the direction perpendicular to the direction of energy
transfer.

Here, particles vibrate through simple harmonic motion to produce the wave form.

The followingcharacteristics are important when transverse waves are studied.

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2025 A/L Revision Advanced Level | PH.

e The shortest distence

between two Con tecutue

peints kitn Same Crests

wave
phase iS the pattemn
after
wave
length |t

Time
period =T Trough

Longitudinal waves
These are waves where particles vibrate in the direction parallel to the direction of energy transfer.

Compressions Rarefractions

* Electromagnetic waves
These are waves which do not need a medium to transfer energy.

An clectrie ficld and a magnetic field that are perpendicular to each other are used to produce these types
of waves.
Ex: Visible light

Gamma rays

Ultraviolet rays

3 Building up an equation for the velocity ofa wave

The distance moved by a wave during a single period is wavelength 2.

Number of periods per second frequency f =

Distance travelled per second = velocity v =fA

V= velocity f= frequency a= wavelength

01) The figure shows the motion of a particle due to a transverse wave that is propogated with a speed of
25cms". Find the frequency, wavelength,and the frequency of troughs that are produced by this wave
within the medium.

Y(cm)

10 20 t(ms)

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HYSIC 2025 Advanced Level |PHYSICS

.I:20 ms.

.... ..sx6*s0 A

........:..5 x 1o3... A...5,mm

.......
for...eesod....tough..326.2.50.H2.
lo00...f.s. so H2. crest ..: .
FrequAn. .:50H2.

I
10

.
troush
02) A longitudinal wave of frequency 500Hztravels with a speed of 350ms!. A compression is produced at

a certain point at a certain instance. Find the time taken for a rarefraction to be produccd at the same
position and find the minimum distance between a compression and a rarefraction.

...Y.3.£A.

.time.....between,
Soo
onsecu tye...compIeSs len.

...0.:7.m . ....>...2ms. Aud..... rarefaction

Characteristics of waves

...here..... are....4.....com mon......characteristics......tor. .€very .type . AQVes.

o).Peflection 02) Pefractton 03)Diffracten, Du) Thterference.

..Polars2a tien. .iS.. also....a chorgcteri she. wayes, .which. .on...beor.by

.ransvee. .NOves.:.
iNe
Can.. observe the .aboye..... 04....characteris HeS......usg......A..... sigple.....tank

:.
Wave reflection

When a sound wave or any other wave hits an obstacle, the reflection of a wave occurs according to the laws of

reflection.

Lawsof reflection

1. The incident wave, reflected wave and the normal drawn to the incident point lie on the same plane.
2. The incident angle and the refracted angle of the wave are equal.

When a wave that travels along a string is reflected, it can occur in two ways.

Rigid reflection Smooth reflection

Smoeth
boundry
boundry

a sound wave takes more than 0.15s to get reflected and return to its initial position, it is heard by a person as
If
an echo, 62) Citcular

reflecticn
(O Linear
reflecten

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01) A man who shoots a gun hears the ccho after it hits a mountain after 4s. When another shot was fired

aftermoving 170m towards the mountain, thc ccho was heard after 3s. Find the speed of sound in air
and the initial distance from the person to
the mountain.

Reflection of transverse waves along a stretched string.

When two strings of different density are connected to produce a composite, the wave that travels through this
composite is subject to both reflection and refraction at the point at which the two strings are connected.

Rigid reflection Smooth reflection

Wave refraction

Waves are subjected to refraction when the velocity of the wave changes when moving from one medium to
another.

When considering a water wave, the speed of the wave at the water surface is dependant on the depth of water, this
relationship is given below.
Hence, when waves travel from one depth to another, the following process can be observed.

v=/gh

h Jv=/gh
V=/gh
V= f
vfA
heh Wae travels through
rare
medium the velocity

changes but 2
Freg uan cy Stays

con sfant dense the energ y

to the Wave
accordiy
be cons tant,(L.e.E)
ave Au th chaye nt the ampl tude increuses

whn veloci ty decreates.

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• Wave diffraction
bending
Dintraction is the chaae-lhe-diectienof motion of the wave when the wave travcls through an obstacle or
a hole.

Since......the......Waves......*ovels...n. medium..... 44te....... tne

...dIfhec tton.......velocity....heauan4y.
Some......**.

.Nae nth ..... .th...e

cons tan

When there's hole

dA
when...bere's....a.baríes.

d >A
Wave inteference

When twoor more waves travel at the same instance along the same point of a medium, it is said that waves

superposition at this point. •When more waves are proper ga ty thre ugh
This occurs in two ways; medium tbe resul tant
dispbcueut any pont
eAu vector addiHcn the
1)Constructive interference 2) Destructivé inteference drploccpn
ead

• frequay equl heary equal

o FrequAny pqual neary equal
• Phase equol Different phase
Same phases
r.
r
• Phase equ phore
differene (h> even) phase differenu (h 0dd)
• Wave polarization
Waves can be polarized by sending transverse waves through a hole with a lower width. This is not

valid for longitudinal waves.

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