Types of Waves

Waves
• Wave: a rhythmic disturbance that transfers
energy through matter or space.
– Carries energy without carrying matter from place to place.
 Types of Waves
Waves can be either Electromagnetic or Mechanical.
• Electromagnetic Waves: waves capable of
transferring energy through a vacuum
• Vacuum: Space where there is no matter
– Ex. Light waves
• Mechanical Waves: waves that can only
travel through a medium.
• Medium: matter
through which a
wave travels through;
can be solid, liquid,
or gas.
– Ex. Sound waves,
water waves
 Types of Waves
Waves can be either Transverse or Longitudinal.
• Transverse: matter in the medium moves back and
forth at right angles to the direction that the wave
is traveling.
– Particle motion is perpendicular to wave motion.
– Ex. Electromagnetic waves,
vibrations in string instruments,
ripples of surface of water.
• Longitudinal: (aka compressional waves) matter
in the medium moves back and forth in the same
direction that the wave is traveling.
– Particle motion is parallel to wave motion.
– Ex. Sound waves, ultrasounds, waves made with a
slinky.
Characteristics of Waves
Characteristics of Waves
In transverse waves…
• Crest: (aka peak) • Trough: lowest
highest points of a points of a
transverse wave. transverse wave.

Normal resting position of wave

Characteristics of Waves
• Amplitude: the amount of energy carried by
a wave.
Transverse Waves
The height of the wave
Longitudinal Waves
The amount of compression
in the wave
Characteristics of Waves
• Wavelength: (𝞴) the distance between one
point on a wave and the nearest point just
like it. Longitudinal Waves
– Measured in m Compression to
compression, or rarefaction
to rarefaction
Transverse Waves
Crest to crest, or trough to
trough
Characteristics of Waves
• Frequency and wavelength also have an
inverse relationship.
– The higher the frequency, the shorter the
wavelength.
– The lower the frequency, the longer the
wavelength.
Characteristics of Waves
• Period: (T) the amount of
time it takes one wavelength
to pass a point.
– Measured in s

• Frequency: (𝒇) the number

of waves that pass a given
point in one second.
– Measure in Hertz (Hz)
• I Hertz = 1/s or s-1
T=1 Frequency and period
have an inverse
𝒇=1
𝒇 relationship. T
Characteristics of Waves
• Wave speed: (v) how fast the wave travels.
– Measured in m/s
– Speed is dependent on the type of wave and
properties of the medium the wave is traveling
through.
• Mechanical waves (like sound): must travel through
particles, therefore travel fastest through solids, then
liquids, then gases, due to the closeness of the
particles.
– Also travel faster through warmer mediums, because
particles collide more.
• Electromagnetic waves (like light): do not need a
medium, therefore travel fastest through a vacuum,
and slowest through solids.
 Measuring Waves
To calculate wave speed:

v = 𝞴𝒇
v = velocity 𝞴 = wavelength 𝒇 = frequency
Measured in m/s Measured in m Measured in Hz
Example #1: What is the speed of a wave with a
wavelength of 2 m and a frequency of 3 Hz?
λ=2m v = (2)(3)
f = 3 Hz
v=? v = 6 m/s
v = 𝞴𝒇
 Example #2
A wave is traveling at a speed of 12 m/s and its
wavelength is 3 m. Calculate the wave’s
frequency and period.
v = 12 m/s f = 12 T=1
λ=3m 3 4
f=?
T=?
f = 4 Hz T = 0.25 s
v=λf
λ λ
f=v T=1
λ 𝒇
 Practice Time
1. A tuning fork has a frequency of 280 Hz and
the wavelength of the sound produced is
1.5 m. Calculate the velocity of the wave.
Answer: v = 420 m/s
2. A wave is moving toward shore with a
velocity of 4 m/s. If its period is 0.4 s, what
is its wavelength?
Answer: 𝞴 = 1.6 m
 Characteristics of Waves
• Electromagnetic waves give off energy in the
form of electromagnetic radiation.
– There is a broad range in the different types of
EM radiation.
• Electromagnetic spectrum: the entire range
of frequencies of electromagnetic radiation.
Characteristics of Waves

ROYGBIV

Longer wavelength Shorter wavelength

Lower frequency Higher frequency
Lower energy Higher energy
Characteristics of Waves
Wave Interactions
 *Reflection*
• Reflection: when a wave strikes an object
and bounces off of it.
– All types of waves can be reflected.
– Ex. Echoes are reflected sound waves!
 Law of Reflection
• Law of Reflection: angle of incidence is
always equal to the angle of reflection.

Reflected ray
Incident ray
(wave that bounces off of surface)
(wave that strikes the surface)

Angle of Angle of
Incidence Reflection

Reflecting surface
 *Diffraction*
• Diffraction: the bending of waves caused by
a edge or a slit..
 *Refraction*
• Refraction: the bending of waves caused by a
change in its speed as it moves from one
medium through another.
– The greater the change in speed, the more the wave
bends.
 How do prisms work?
1. Light waves enter into a prism and slow down due
to the change in medium.
2. This causes the waves to bend (refract) as they
move through the new medium.
The This is
different because
colors of each color
light bend of light is a
different different
amounts, wavelength,
thus the thus travels
colors are at a different
separated. speed.
 *Interference*
• Interference: occurs when two waves meet
while traveling along the same medium.

Standing Waves
 *Absorption*
• Absorption: when a
wave strikes an object
and goes into it (is
absorbed.)
– Energy from the wave
gets converted to
thermal energy. Add this to your
• Ex. Dark colors are better notes! You have
at absorbing light waves some free space on
than light, thus it is better the very front page
to wear dark colors in the
winter to stay warmer
outside!