1.

0 WAVES
1.1 UNDERSTANDING WAVES
WAVES
Cause by vibrations or oscillations.
Transport energy without permanently
displacing the medium.
Can either be a Mechanical waves which
require a medium to travel eg. Sound wave
or Electromagnetic waves which do not
require a medium to travel.
There are two types of waves:

Transverse Waves:
The vibration of the particles of the
medium is perpendicular (up and
down ) to the motion of the wave.
eg. Water waves, light waves,rope
waves and waves on springs.
(MC,MG 1-1)

Longitudinal Waves:
The vibration of the particles of the
medium is along the same direction
(parallel) as the motion of the wave.
eg.Waves on springs and sound
waves.

Direction of
oscillations

Direction of wave

Direction of oscillations
Direction of wave

Oscillations are at
right angles to
direction of motion

In longitudinal
waves,particles oscillate
along line of wave
Push
C

Right
Crest (puncak)
Direction
of
vibration

Pull
Trough (lembangan)
Left

Direction of wave motion of a slinky

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Direction of wave motion of a slinky.

C- Compression,
R- Rarefactions

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WAVEFRONTS
An imaginary line representing all the points of a wave that are in the same phase.
For example a wavefront can be drawn by joining all the crests of a wave.
The direction of wave travel is always perpendicular to the wavefront.
Figures below show how circular wavefronts and plane wavefronts are produced.

Circular Wavefronts

Plane Wavefronts

(MC,MG 1-2)

Upwards

Oscillations of
A loaded spring and a pendulum

Downwards

Graph below shows the

displacement of the above rope
along its length at a certain instant of
time.

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Crest

Displacement/m

Crest

+A
Amplitude A

Distance/m
Amplitude -A

-B

Trough

Term
Amplitude

Symbol
a

Wavelength

Explanations
The maximum displacement of the oscillator from its equilibrium position.
Distance between any two successive wave crests,troughs or points
which are in phase.

Crests and
troughs

High points and low points that characterize transverse waves only.

DISPLACEMENT-TIME GRAPH

Displacement/m
T
Q

+a
a

Mean
R

Position

-a

Time/s

Positive
displacement

Negative
displacement

Term
Period
Frequency

Symbol
T
f

Unit
Explanation
Second(s) The time required for one complete cycle.
Hertz(Hz) The number of complete cycles per second

f=

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1
T

and

T=

1
f
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Displacement

DISPLACEMENT DISTANCE GRAPH

Amplitud

Amplitud

Distance

In one period (T), a crest will have moved a distance of one wavelength ().
Therefore the speed of the wave, v is given by:
V=

Therefore Wave velocity

Worked example 1:

V=

(but

1
= f)
T

0.3m

The above figure shows waves moving on a slinky with frequency 3 Hz and a wavelength of 0.3m.What is
the wave speed?
Given frequency of wave, f = 3 Hz
Wavelength of wave,
= 0.3 m
The wave speed
v = f
= (3)(0.3)
= 0.9 ms-1

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DAMPING AND RESONNANCE

Energy transfer in vibration system
X Potential energy is maximum.
Y Kinetic energy is maximum
Z Potential energy is maximum

Z
Y
A Simple Pendulum

Displacement x/cm

a1

a2

a3

a4

Time/s

a1>a2> a3> a4
Damping occurs if a vibrating system gradually loses its
energy in overcoming resistance to its motion and will
eventually stop vibrating.Decreasing amplitude is due to
energy loss.

Example:
An empty swing that is swinging will eventually come to a stop after sometime if it is not
pushed.

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RESONANCE

The tendency of an object to

absorb more energy when
the frequency of the
oscillations matches the
objects natural frequency of
vibration therefore causing its
amplitude to grow larger
and larger rapidly

Natural
frequency:
The frequency
that an object
tends to
oscillate at when
disturbed by an
external force.

Resonance: A phenomenon
that happens when a
vibration system is forced to
vibrate with its natural
frequency.

l1
x

Forced
Oscillation:
An oscillation
caused by
external force
acting on the
system.

Resonance:
Can be observed using a
Bartons Pendulum.The Driving
Pendulum forces six pendulums
of different lengths to vibrate.

l2

l3

l4
l5
l6

Driving pendulum

Bartons Pendulum :
Each of the six pendulum
has its natural
frequency.The pendulum
that vibrates with the
largest amplitude is said
to be in resonance with
the driving pendulum.

Pendulum with various length

Example:
If an Opera sings at the same frequency as the natural frequency of a glass, the glass tends
to absorb more and more energy and eventually will break.

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TRUE STORY (video)

On the morning of November 7, 1940, the four month old Tacoma Narrows Bridge began to oscillate
dangerously up and down. A reporter drove out on the bridge with his cocker spaniel in the car. The bridge
was heaving so violently that he had to abandon his car and crawl back to safety on his hands and knees.
At about 11:00 the bridge tore itself apart and collapsed. It had been designed for winds of 120 mph and
yet a wind of only 42 mph caused it to collapse. How could this happen? No one knows exactly why.
However, the experts do agree that somehow the wind caused the bridge to resonate. It was a shocking
calamity although the only loss of life was the cocker spaniel.

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1.2

ANALYSING REFLECTION OF WAVES.

WATER WAVES

Incident wavefronts

Reflected rays

Incident rays

Reflected
wavefronts

Reflection of a wave occurs when a wave strikes an

obstacle (penghalang). The wave undergoes a change in
direction of propagation when it is reflected.

Normal
Direction of reflected
wave

LIGHT WAVES
Reflected light ray
Incident light ray

Shiny smooth plane

SOUND WAVES

Card board tube

Flat hard surface to

reflect sound wave.

Stop
watch

Ear
Soft surface to absorb
sound wave.

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LAWS OF REFLECTION
1. The incident ray, the reflected ray and the normal all lie in the same plane.
2. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection, i.e. i = r.

EFFECTS OF REFLECTION OF WAVE

Velocity, v
Frequency, f

Remain the same before and after

reflections

Wavelength,

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