Waves transmit energy through a medium and have properties including amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and speed. There are two main types of waves - transverse waves which move the medium perpendicular to the direction of travel, and longitudinal waves which move the medium parallel to travel. Wave interactions include reflection at surfaces, refraction when changing speed in a new medium, diffraction around barriers, and interference from multiple waves combining constructively or destructively. Standing waves can occur from reflected waves interfering at specific frequencies.
2. Characteristics of Waves
What are Waves?
• Remember back……
• A wave is a disturbance that transmits energy
through matter or space.
3. Characteristics of Waves
One Way to Classify Waves
Mechanical Waves
•Must have a medium
•Can travel at any
speed
• Ex:
Electromagnetic Waves
•Do NOT need a medium
•Travel at the speed of
light
•Ex:
4. Characteristics of Waves - What Are Waves?
Mechanical Waves and Energy
Waves travel through water, but they
do not carry the water (or the duck)
with them.
5. Characteristics of Waves
Mechanical Waves
Examples Include:
Ocean waves,
medium = water
Sound waves,
medium = air
Seismic Waves
(Earthquake),
medium = earth
6. Characteristics of Waves
Wave Movement
A wave front is the front of a wave that is transferring energy.
In a single system all of the wave fronts have the same
amount of energy, but as the wave front spreads out, so
does the energy.
7. Characteristics of Waves - What Are Waves?
Transverse Waves
Waves that move the medium at right angles (perpendicular)
to the direction in which the waves travel are called
transverse waves.
8. Characteristics of Waves - What Are Waves?
Longitudinal Waves
Longitudinal waves move the medium parallel to the direction
in which the waves travel.
9. Characteristics of Waves - What Are Waves?
Longitudinal Waves
The compressions of a longitudinal wave correspond to the
crest of a transverse wave. The troughs correspond to
rarefactions.
10. Characteristics of Waves - What Are Waves?
Transverse vs. Longitudinal Waves
Click on the link to see how the differ waves
travel or propogate.
Another link with animation
11. Characteristics of Waves - Properties of Waves
Wave Properties
The basic properties of all waves are amplitude, wavelength,
frequency and speed.
12. Characteristics of Waves
Parts of a Wave
Wavelength (λ) is the total
length of 1 wave.
In transverse waves it’s typically
measured from crest to crest or
trough to trough.
In longitudinal waves it’s
measured from compression to
compression or rarefaction to
rarefaction.
The shorter the wavelength, the
more energy the wave is carrying.
13. Characteristics of Waves
Parts of a Wave
Amplitude can be measured on a transverse wave. It height from the
resting point to the crest or the resting point to the trough.
The larger the amplitude, the more energy the wave is carrying.
14. Characteristics of Waves
Wave Measurements
The frequency (f) of a wave
is the number of
complete waves that
pass a given point per
second.
The SI unit for measuring
frequency is Hertz (Hz).
1 waves occurs every
second= 1 Hz
2 waves occur every
second= 2 Hz
15. Characteristics of Waves
Wave Measurements
• Frequency and wavelength have an INVERSE relationship--as
one increases, the other decreases.
• Example: The higher the frequency the shorter the wavelength
and vice versa.
16. Characteristics of Waves
Wave Measurements
Wave speed (v) is the speed at which a wave passes through a
medium and is measured using the following equation:
wave speed (m/s) = frequency (Hz) x wavelength (m)
v = f x λ
17. Characteristics of Waves
Calculations
The speed of a wave on a rope is 50 cm/s and its wavelength is
10 cm. What is the wave’s frequency?
Read and Understand
What information have you been given?
Speed = 50 cm/s
Wavelength = 10 cm
- Properties of Waves
18. Characteristics of Waves
Calculations
The speed of a wave on a rope is 50 cm/s and its wavelength is
10 cm. What is the wave’s frequency?
Plan and Solve
What quantity are you trying to calculate?
The frequency of a wave = __ Hz
What formula contains the given quantities and the unknown
quantity?
Frequency = Speed/Wavelength
Perform the calculation.
Frequency = Speed/Wavelength = 50 cm/s/10 cm
Frequency = 5/s = 5 Hz
- Properties of Waves
19. Characteristics of Waves
Calculations
The speed of a wave on a rope is 50 cm/s and its wavelength is
10 cm. What is the wave’s frequency?
Look Back and Check
Does your answer make sense?
The wave speed is 50 cm per second. Because the distance from
crest to crest is 10 cm, five crests will pass a point every second.
- Properties of Waves
20. Characteristics of Waves
Calculating Frequency
Practice Problem
A wave has a wavelength of 2 mm and a frequency of 3
Hz. At what speed does the wave travel?
(2 mm)(3 Hz) = 6 mm/s
- Properties of Waves
21. Characteristics of Waves
Calculating Frequency
Practice Problem
The speed of a wave on a guitar string is 142 m/s and
the frequency is 110 Hz. What is the wavelength of the
wave?
(142 m/s)/(110 Hz) = 1.3 m
- Properties of Waves
23. Characteristics of Waves
Wave Measurements
A wave along a guitar string has a frequency of
440 Hz and a wavelength of 1.5 m. What is the
speed of the wave?
v =
? m/s
f =
440 Hz
λ =
1.5 m
v = 440 Hz x 1.5 m
v = 660 m/s
v = f * λ
v
f * λ
24. Characteristics of Waves
Wave Measurements
The speed of sound in air is about 340 m/s. What
is the wavelength of sound waves produced by
guitar strings vibrating at a frequency of 440 Hz?
v =
340 m/s
f =
440 Hz
λ =
? m
λ = 340 m/s / 440 Hz
λ = 0.77 m
λ = v / f
v
f * λ
25. Characteristics of Waves
Wave Measurements
The speed of light is 3 x 108 m/s. What is the
frequency of microwaves with a wavelength of
0.01 m?
v =
3 x 108 m/s
300,000,000 m/s
f =
? Hz
λ =
0.01 m
f = 300,000,000 m/s / 0.01 m
f = 30,000,000,000 Hz
f = v / λ
v
f * λ
27. Characteristics of Waves
When an object or wave hits a surface through which it
cannot pass, it bounces back.
- Interactions of Waves
Reflection
28. Characteristics of Waves
Reflection
Reflection is when waves, whether physical or
electromagnetic, bounce from a surface back toward the
source. A mirror reflects the image of the observer.
NORMAL
29. Characteristics of Waves - Interactions of Waves
Refraction
When a wave enters a new medium at an angle, one side of
the wave changes speed before the other side, causing the
wave to bend.
30. Characteristics of Waves
Refraction
Refraction is when waves, whether physical or electromagnetic, are
deflected when the waves go through a substance. The wave
generally changes the angle of its general direction.
32. Characteristics of Waves - Interactions of Waves
Diffraction
When a wave moves around a barrier or through an opening
in a barrier, it bends and spreads out.
33. Characteristics of Waves
Diffraction
Diffraction is when a wave goes through a small hole and has a flared
out geometric shadow of the slit.
• a characteristic of waves of all types
• We can hear around a corner because of the diffraction of sound
waves. For instance, if a wall is next to you when you yell, the sound
will parallel the wall. The wall may stop, but the voice doesn't; sound
will almost turn the corner of the wall.
35. Characteristics of Waves
Wave Behavior
Interference occurs when
the combination of
two or more waves
exist in the same
place at the same
time.
Constructive interference
= bigger wave.
Destructive interference =
smaller wave.
36. Characteristics of Waves - Interactions of Waves
Interference
The interference that occurs when
waves combine to make a wave with
a larger amplitude is called
constructive interference.
The interference that occurs when
waves combine to make a wave with
a smaller amplitude is called
destructive interference.
Link to animation of interference and
standing waves.
Another cool animation!
37. Characteristics of Waves
Wave Interference Activity
Click the Active Art button to open a browser window and
access Active Art about wave interference.
- Interactions of Waves
38. Characteristics of Waves - Interactions of Waves
Standing Waves
If the incoming wave and a reflected wave have just the right
frequency, they produce a combined wave that appears to
be standing still.
ex: Jump rope
Link to standing wave animation- watch for >1 min
39. Characteristics of Waves
Standing Waves
Nodes: Point of zero amplitude
Nodes are always spaced evenly throughout the standing
wave.
Antinodes: point of maximum amplitude (MAX energy)
40. Characteristics of Waves
Resonance
• Most objects have a natural frequency of vibration
• If a nearby object vibrates at the same frequency this can
cause resonance.
•Examples: instruments
Show water glass demonstration
42. Characteristics of Waves
Question Answer
Asking Questions
Before you read, preview the red headings. In a graphic organizer
like the one below, ask a what, how, when, or where question for
each heading. As you read, write answers to your questions.
How are waves reflected? Waves are reflected when they hit a
surface through which they cannot
pass and bounce back.
What is refraction? The bending of waves due to a
change in speed
When does diffraction occur? When a wave moves around a
barrier or through an opening in a
barrier
What is a standing wave? A wave that appears to stand in one
place even though it is really two
waves interfering
- Interactions of Waves
44. Characteristics of Waves
Graphic Organizer
Longitudinal
Waves
can be
Transverse
can be
contain contain contain contain
Crests Rarefactions
Troughs Compressions