Properties and Applications
What is a Wave? How is it Created? Waves are created by vibrations! Atoms vibrate, strings vibrate, water vibrates A wave is the moving oscillation Waves are the propagation of energy They move the oscillation, but DO NOT carry the matter itself! Think of a leaf on a pond it moves up and down with the wave, but does not get carried to shore
Wave Characteristics Pulse or Periodic Wave Pulse wave is a single wave bump (you jerk a rope once) Periodic wave is a series of wave bumps (you jerk a rope repeatedly these are vibrational) Mechanical or Nonmechanical A medium is the matter in which the wave travels (water waves travel through water, so water is the medium) Mechanical waves must have a medium in which to travel. Nonmechanical waves do NOT need a medium
Wave Characteristics more Transverse or Longitudinal Transverse waves oscillate perpendicular to the direction of travel (ex: light waves) Longitudinal waves oscillate parallel to the direction of travel (ex: sound waves)
Transverse Wave
Longitudinal Wave
Wave Speed how fast! v = fλ Velocity (v) is measured in m/s Frequency is measured in Hertz (Hz) λ (wavelength) is measured in meters (m)
Period and Frequency Frequency (f) number of oscillations per unit of time Period (T) time for one oscillation Also time per oscillation Measured in seconds (s) T = 1 f f = 1 T
Period for Pendulums and Springs Pendulum L = length in meters g = gravity Allows us to predict the period of a pendulum! Period increases with string length T = 2π l g Springs m mass in kg T = 2π k spring constant (N/m) m k Allows us to predict the period of a spring with a mass attached! Period increases with mass but decreases with spring constant.
Practice! A 1.0 meter long pendulum has a period of 10.5 seconds on planet Q. What is the gravity on planet Q? A 50.0 N/m spring oscillates with an unknown mass attached. If it oscillates with a period of 10.5 seconds, what is the mass?
Wave Behavior At a FIXED end waves reflect and invert At a FREE end waves reflect
More behavior Principle of Superposition when waves overlap, their resultant displacement is the algebraic sum of their separate displacements Crests are positive Troughs are negative Constructive Interference 2 troughs make a bigger trough, 2 crests make a bigger crest Destructive Interference A crest and a trough either make a smaller wave or cancel each other out!
Superposition
More behavior When a periodic wave reflects on a fixed boundary, it creates a STANDING WAVE Label : nodes, antinodes, wavelength, amplitude
Resonance When a system is allowed to oscillate, it does so at its NATURAL FREQUENCY If another force is applied, the system may oscillate at a new frequency Sometimes this results in a very large amplitude This is called RESONANCE
Sound Waves Created by vibrations Longitudinal Mechanical Cannot travel in space!!!!! Creates a sine or cosine wave when graphed with density.
Speed of Sound We think of sound traveling in air because that is how we hear! In air at 20 C sound travels at 343 m/s Sound travels through other mediums as well Faster through solids Slower through gases Why????? Temperature of the medium affects the speed More effect for gases Increases with temperature Why?????
Sound Characteristics Frequency of wave determines Pitch Pitch is how we perceive sound The higher the frequency, the higher the pitch Amplitude of wave determines Loudness The larger the amplitude, the louder the sound Intensity of wave also determines Loudness Measure of energy of a wave Compared to area of wave coverage
Sound and Intensity Measured in Decibels (dβ) Not a direct proportion Measured on a log scale A sound that is 10 times the intensity is TWICE as loud Audible Range 10-12 W/m 2 to 1 W/m 2 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz Threshold of Pain BEATS!!!!!!
Standing Waves in Musical Instruments
Why does a piano and a clarinet sound different? Even if they play the SAME note at the SAME loudness TIMBRE quality of sound Depends on number of overtones Noise has a mixture of frequencies that are not related Music has multiple frequencies that are harmonics
Doppler Effect Pitch of sound changes when the source of the sound is moving Example: ambulance sirens, racecars Waves compress as source moves toward you This increases the frequency and the pitch!
Uses for Sound Waves Ultrasound low intensity ultrasonic waves Doppler Weather frequency is sent and reflected; if the frequency changes then we know the object is moving Echolocation used by animals to map object locations Sonar pulse is sent and the reflection (echo) is received (ultrasonic frequencies)
Other Wave Vocabulary Refraction waves bend when traveling from one medium to another. Makes the object look disjointed. Reflection when a wave hits a hard boundary Absorption when a wave hits a soft boundary Diffraction waves bend as they go through an opening In phase when the crest of one wave meets the crest of another wave, or when one trough meets another trough. Harmonic motion A type of periodic motion. Swinging on a swing, pendulum lab, etc