General Physics 1 Worksheet No.

: 4
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Mechanical Waves
DIRECTION: Solve the following problem on a separate sheet of paper or on your notebook.
1. STEM_GP12PM-IId-28 Differentiate under damped, over damped, and critically
damped motion.
2. STEM_GP12PM-IId-31 Define mechanical wave, longitudinal wave, transverse wave,
periodic wave, and sinusoidal wave.
3. STEM_GP12PMIId-32 From a given sinusoidal wave function infer the speed,
wavelength, frequency, period, direction, and wave number.
4. STEM_GP12MWSIIe-34 Apply the inverse-square relation between the intensity of
waves and the distance from the source.

Introduction:

In the presence of friction, pendulums and other simple harmonic devices tend to slow
down and stop. The friction between the gears of a grandfather clock, which must be checked
every 30 days for time accuracy. The force that gives a speed-diminishing effect, is called
damping force. Damping is a limiting motion that drives away energy. It can be categorized as
underdamped, overdamped, and critically damped.
Activity 1. Dampened Oscillations
To properly understand the different conditions of dampened oscillations, the reader is
required to have at least the skill to provide a solution to first order differential equations. We
will avoid the rigor of using differential equation, instead we will use graphs to briefly compare
the different types of dampened motion.

Source: Bauer, Westfall. University Physics p. 609

Position versus time for underdamped motion (green line), overdamped motion (red line), and
critically damped motion (blue line). The idea of dampened oscillations is applied in the
engineering shock absorbers that can be found in cars, motorbikes, and bicycles.

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Quarter II, Week 4 Competencies: STEM_GP12PM-IId-28–32; STEM_GP12MWS-IIe-34
Prepared by: Love Genesis L. Ng/ Quezon City Science High School
General Physics 1 Worksheet No.: 4
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A motorbike drives along a bumpy road, where each bump is equal spaced. At a speed of
20 meters per second, the frequency of hitting bumps is equal to the natural frequency of the
motorbike bouncing on its springs.
a. Draw a graph of the motorbike’s vertical bouncing amplitude as a function of its speed
if the motorbike has a new shock absorber (a large damping coefficient).
b. Draw a graph of the motorbike’s vertical bouncing amplitude as a function of its speed
if the motorbike has a worn-out shock absorber (small damping coefficient).
c. Draw both graphs on the same axes, and label them as to which is which.

Activity 2. Wavey - Waves

A. Travelling Waves
1. In your own words, what is a transverse wave?
2. Give an example of a transverse wave. What evidence tells you that it is a transverse
wave?
3. In your own words, what is a longitudinal wave?
4. Give an example of a longitudinal wave. What evidence tells you that it is a
longitudinal wave?
B. Sinusoidal Waves
The figure below shows a sinusoidal traveling wave:

Draw a graph of the wave if:

1. Its amplitude is halved, and its wavelength is doubled.

__________________________________________________________________________________________
Quarter II, Week 4 Competencies: STEM_GP12PM-IId-28–32; STEM_GP12MWS-IIe-34
Prepared by: Love Genesis L. Ng/ Quezon City Science High School
General Physics 1 Worksheet No.: 4
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2. Its speed is doubled, and its frequency is quadrupled.

Activity 3. What is your number (wave number)?

A sinusoid wave is shown in the figure below which is travelling to the right at a speed of 25
cm/s starting at time t = 0.
A. Draw snapshot graphs of this wave at times 𝑡 0.1 𝑠, 𝑡 0.2 𝑠, 𝑡 0.3 𝑠, and 𝑡
0.4 𝑠.

B. What is the wavelength of the wave?

C. What is the period of the wave?
D. What is the frequency of the wave?
E. What is the speed of the wave?
F. What is the wave number?

Activity 4. Ang Intense!

1. The power radiated by the Sun is 3.9  10 W . The distance between the Sun and
26

Earth is 1.5  10 m .
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a. Determine intensity of the Sun’s radiation at the upper atmosphere of the Earth.
b. On a clear summer day 70% of this amount arrives at the surface of the Earth.
Calculate how much energy is received by an area of 0.50 m2 in 1 hour.

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Quarter II, Week 4 Competencies: STEM_GP12PM-IId-28–32; STEM_GP12MWS-IIe-34
Prepared by: Love Genesis L. Ng/ Quezon City Science High School