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Wave & Waves Eq PDF
Wave & Waves Eq PDF
What is a wave?
Forward vs. backward propagating waves
The one-dimensional wave equation
Phase velocity
Reminders about complex numbers
The complex amplitude of a wave
What is a wave? f(x-1) f(x-2)
f(x) f(x-3)
In the mathematical sense, a wave is
any function that moves.
2 f1 f 2 2 f1 2 f 2 2 f1 f 2 2 f1 2 f 2
Proof: and
x 2
x 2
x2 t 2
t 2
t2
2 f1 f 2 1 2 f1 f 2 2 f1 1 2 f1 2 f 2 1 2 f 2
2 2 2 2
2 2 2
0
x 2
v t 2
x v t x v t
This has important consequences for light waves. It means that light
beams can pass through each other without altering each other.
waves spiraling
around each other
The solution to the one-dimensional
wave equation
The wave equation has the simple solution:
f x, t f x vt
u u
Write f (x ± vt) as f (u), where u = x ± vt. So 1 and v
x t
f f u f f u
Now, use the chain rule:
x u x t u t
Reminder:
The most general solution to an equation of this sort has two
unknown constants, which cannot be determined without some
additional information about the problem (e.g., initial conditions or
boundary conditions).
And:
We might expect that oscillatory solutions (sines and cosines) will
be very relevant for light waves.
A solution: a harmonic wave
2E 2E
2 0
x 2
t
We can use cosine- and sine-wave solutions:
E ( x, t ) B cos[k ( x vt )] C sin[k ( x vt )]
kx (kv)t
E ( x, t ) B cos(kx t ) C sin(kx t )
1
where: v
k
Note: this is the Greek letter omega, ‘’. Do not get it confused with ‘w’.
A more useful form for the solution
For simplicity, we’ll
E ( x, t ) B cos(kx t ) C sin(kx t ) just use the forward-
propagating wave
for now, so no .
Instead of the unknown constants B and C, let’s use two
different unknown constants, A and . We define them so that:
A cos() = B and A sin() = C
Thus our solution to the wave equation becomes:
A = Amplitude (we will see that this is related to the wave’s energy)
= Absolute phase (or “initial” phase: the phase when x = t = 0)
Absolute phase = 0
Absolute phase = 2/3
A
position, x
x=0
A function of both x and t
E(x,t) = A cos[(k x – t ) – ]
position (x axis)
Definitions
Spatial quantities:
Temporal quantities:
The Phase Velocity
v = /
YES.
Don’t confuse “the phase” with “the absolute phase” (or “initial phase”).
k = /x
Complex numbers
Consider a point,
P = (x,y), on a 2D
Cartesian grid.
P=x+jy
where: j 1
The controversy: i vs j
In physics: i 1
and j = current density
In engineering: j 1
and i = current
In this class:
We strive to be engineers and use j, but…
P = A exp( j )
where: A = Amplitude
= Phase
We have seen that the electric field of a light wave can be written:
E(x,t) = A cos(kx – t – )
E x, t Re A exp j kx t We often
write these
expressions
or without the
1
E x, t A exp j kx t c.c. ½, Re, or
2 +c.c.
E x, t A exp( j ) exp j kx t
where we've separated the constant stuff from the rapidly changing stuff.
where
E x, t E0 exp j kx t E0 A exp j
E0 A E0