Waves I Notes

WAVES

A Wave is defined as a disturbance which transfers energy from one point to another.

Types of Waves

A Transverse wave : is a wave in which the displacement of the particles of the media is
perpendicular (at right angles to) to the direction of travel of the wave motion.

A Longitudinal wave is a wave in which the displacement of the particles of the media is
parallel to (in line with) the direction of travel of the wave motion

A Progressive (Travelling) wave : is the movement of disturbance which carries energy from a
source to another point.

A progressive wave crests and troughs or compressions and rarefactions move along wave
medium.

A Stationary (Standing) wave : is the stationary disturbance in which the maximum and the
minimum displacement of particles of the media does not move energy from a source point.

A Pulse : is a short lived or single waves motion.

A Wavetrain : is a continuous group of waves with features/properties

A Wavefront : is an imaginary line which joins a set of particles (or points) which are in phase
( in step) in a wave motion.

The Parameters/Characteristic of a Wave form

Frequency (f) : is defined as the number of oscillations or cycles made in one second.

Since frequency is defined as the number of cycles per second, its S.I. unit would logically be
per second and is denoted as /s or s–1

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The s–1 unit has now formally been given name hertz (Hz) in honour of the German physicist
Heinrich Hertz who was first to produce electromagnetic waves experimentally. Frequency is
thus measured in the S.I. units of hertz (Hz).

Period (T) : is defined as the time a vibrating objects takes to make one complete oscillation.

The formula for calculating the Period of wave is given below:

1
T=
f

Phase : is the term used to describe a particles displacement in a waveform relative to the others
in that same waveform or another waveform.

In Phase or (in step): is the term used to describe the particles in a waveform that are, at exactly
the same point in their paths at the same time and are moving in the same direction.

A Transverse Waveform

+1 P1 P2

Q1 Q2

time

-1

S1 S2

 NB – Particle P1 and P2 are both described as being in phase (since both are at same
point in their paths at the same time and are moving in the same direction).

 NB – Particle Q1 and Q2 are both described as being in phase

 NB – Particle S1 and S2 are both described as being in phase

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 Waves I Notes

A Longitudinal Waveform
λ

C1 R1 C2 R2 C3 R3

 NB – the distance between Particles C1 and C2 (compression – compression) is a

wavelength λ

 NB – the distance between Particles Q1 and Q2 (rarefaction – rarefaction) is a

wavelength λ

Out of Phase or (out of step): is the term used to describe the particles in a waveform that are, at
different points in their paths at different times and are moving in the same direction. [The
word Anti – phase can be used in place of ‘out of phase’ also.]

A Transverse Waveform

+1 P1 S2

Q2

0 P2

P2 time

-1 S1

Q1

 NB – Particle P1 and P2 are both described as being (in anti – phase) OR out of
phase (since both are at different point in their paths at different times and are
moving in the same direction).

 NB – Particle Q1 and Q2 are both described as being (in anti – phase) OR out of
phase
.
 NB – Particle S1 and S2 are both described as being (in anti – phase) OR out of
phase

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A Longitudinal Waveform
λ

C1 R1 C2 R2 C3 R3

Wavelength (λ - lambda): defined as the distance between two consecutive points (particles)
which are exactly in phase (i.e. they’re at exactly the same point in their paths at the same time
and are moving in the same direction).

Simply put a wavelength is the distance between two consecutive troughs, or two consecutive
crests, in a transverse waveform OR the distance between two consecutive compressions, or
two consecutive rarefactions, in a longitudinal waveform.

A Transverse Waveform

+1 P1 λ P2

Q1 λ Q2

time

-1

S1 λ S2

 NB – the distance between Particles P1 and P2 (crest – crest ) is a wavelength λ

 NB – the distance between Particles Q1 and Q2 is a wavelength λ

 NB – the distance between Particles S1 and S2 (trough – trough ) is a wavelength λ.

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 Waves I Notes

A Longitudinal Waveform
λ

C1 R1 C2 R2 C3 R3

 NB – the distance between Particles C1 and C2 (compression – compression) is a

wavelength λ
 NB – the distance between Particles Q1 and Q2 (rarefaction – rarefaction) is a
wavelength λ

Displacement and Amplitude of a Waveform

Displacement is defined as the distance travelled by a particle in a wave in either direction (up
or down of its rest position in case of a transverse wave) or (left or right of its rest position in
case of a longitudinal wave).

Displacement

positive displacement

+1

rest 0

time

-1

Negative displacement

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 Waves I Notes

The Amplitude of a wave : is defined as the maximum displacement of a particle from their rest
position in a wavetrain or on a wave .

Displacement

+1

Amplitude

time

Amplitude

-1

Wave speed

Waves that travel through different materials are found to travel at different speeds. For example
both sound and light waves are found to travel through water and air at different speeds.

To Summarize :

One can say that the speed of a wave is :

 Independent of its Shape

 Independent of its Amplitude
 Independent of its frequency
 Independent of its wavelength
 Dependent on the type of material (medium) it travels through.

The Wave equation

If a vibrating source is producing f waves every second, ad

The formula below in Figure [T] is called the wave equation and is applicable to all both
transverse and longitudinal waves.

Wave speed = frequency × wavelength

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v = f × λ

Figure [T]

 The S.I. unit of wave speed is metre per second ms–1

TAKE NOTE DIAGRAMS SHOWING WAVEFRONTS ARE BE VIEWED FROM ABOVE.