WEEKLY LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEETS

General Physics 1 Grade 12, Quarter 2, Week 4

MECHANICAL WAVES AND SOUNDS

Name: ___________________________________________ Section: ____________________

Learning Objective:
- Define mechanical wave, longitudinal wave, transverse wave, periodic wave, and
sinusoidal wave (STEM_GP12PMIId-31)
- From a given sinusoidal wave function infer the speed, wavelength, frequency,
period, direction, and wave number (STEM_GP12PMIId-32)
- Apply the inverse-square relation between the intensity of waves and the distance
from the source (STEM_GP12MWSIIe-34)

Specific Objectives:

After the lesson, the students will able to:

1. Define mechanical wave, longitudinal wave, transverse wave, periodic wave and
sinusoidal wave.
2. Relate speed, wavelength, frequency, period, direction and wave number using
sinusoidal wave function.
3. Solve problems involving mechanical waves and sound.

Time Allotment: 4 hours

Key Concepts
 Mechanical Wave is a disturbance that travels through some material or substance
called the medium for the wave. As the wave travels through the medium, the
particles that make up the medium undergo displacements of various kinds,
depending on the nature of the wave.
 There are two types of mechanical waves: the longitudinal waves and the transverse
waves. Longitudinal waves are waves in which the displacement of the medium is
in the same direction as, or opposite to, the direction of propagation of the wave.
Meanwhile, transverse wave is a moving wave whose oscillations are perpendicular
to the direction of the wave or path of propagation.

Fig. 1. Transverse and Longitudinal Wave

 A periodic wave is a wave travelling at a constant speed in a certain time. It can be

described in terms of their wave particles. Their energy can de described by getting
the maximum height of the wave, given by the amplitude. One cycle of a wave is one
complete vibration. In one complete vibration, one complete wave of wavelength
occurs.

Author: Shekaina Faith C. Lozada

School/Station: Gamut National High School
Division: Surigao del Sur
email address: shekainah.lozada@deped.gov.ph
  Angular wave number is defined as the number of wavelengths per unit distance
the spatial wave frequency and is known as spatial frequency. It is a scalar
quantity represented by k and mathematically represented as
2π
k=
𝛌
 The phase of the wave is the kx-ωt of the sine wave. As the wave sweeps through a
string element at a particular position x, the phase changes linearly with time, t.
 A sinusoidal wave or a sine wave is a mathematical curve that describes a smooth
periodic oscillation. It moves in the positive direction of an x axis that has a
mathematical form

where ym is the amplitude of the wave

k is the angular wave number
ω is the angular frequency
kx-ωt is the phase
 The properties of a wave help determine the type of wave. These are amplitude,
wavelength, period, frequency and wave speed.
 Amplitude, A, is the distance from the center line of a wave to the highest points of
the wave which are the crest, or to the lowest points of the wave which are the
troughs. Amplitude is a measure of the wave’s energy. The higher the amplitude, the
greater the energy.
 A wavelength, λ, is the distance measured at a fixed time over which a wave pattern
repeats.

Fig. 2. Amplitude and wavelength of wave

The wavelength, λ is mathematically shown as

v
λ=
f
 The wave period, T, is the time it takes for one complete wave cycle to pass a fixed
point or position. The frequency, f, of the wave is the number of complete wave
cycles passing a given point in one unit of time. The frequency (f) is the inverse of
the period (T).
1 1
𝑓 = or 𝑇 =
𝑇 𝑓

 A wave travels through a medium at a characteristic speed. For example, under

normal conditions, sound travels at a rate of 340 m/s.
 Wave speed is related to wavelength and period.
λ
v = T = λf
 Waves on a string carry energy in just one dimension of space (along the direction
of the string). But other types of waves, including sound waves in air and seismic
waves in the body of the earth, carry energy across all three dimensions of space.
 The waves that travel in three dimensions, we define the intensity (denoted by I) to
be the time average rate at which energy is transported by the wave, per unit area,
across a surface perpendicular to the direction of propagation. That is, intensity (I)
is average power per unit area. It is usually measured in W/m 2.

Author: Shekaina Faith C. Lozada

School/Station: Gamut National High School
Division: Surigao del Sur
email address: shekainah.lozada@deped.gov.ph
  If waves spread out equally in all directions from a source, the intensity at a distance
r from the source is inversely proportional. Thus, it follows the inverse-square law
of intensity as
I1 r22
= 2
I2 r1

Exercises / Activities

Activity 1: Mechanical Waves and Wave Intensity

What you need:

 Paper and pen
 Scientific Calculator

What to do 1: Answer the following questions based on the concepts that you have
learned. Write your answer in a separate sheet of paper.
1. Is it possible to have a longitudinal wave on a stretched string? Why or why not?
2. Is it possible to have a transverse wave on a steel rod? Why or why not?
3. The wavelength and the period describe a wave. How are they related?
4. If you double the wavelength of a wave on a particular string, what happens to the
wave speed and the frequency?

What to do 2: Answer the following problems. Write your solutions in a separate sheet of
paper.
1. The speed of sound in air at 200C is 344 m/s.
a. What is the wavelength of a sound wave with a frequency of 784 Hz,
corresponding to the note on a piano, and how many seconds does each
vibration take?
b. What is the wavelength of a sound wave one octave higher (double the
frequency) than the note in part a?
2. You hold one end of the clothesline taut and wiggles it up and down sinusoidally
with frequency 2.00 Hz and amplitude 0.075 m. The wave speed on the clothesline
is v = 12.0 m/s. At t = 0, the end has maximum positive displacement and is
instantaneously at rest. Assume that no wave bounces back from the far end. Find
the
a. Angular frequency
b. period T,
c. wave number k.
3. A tornado warning siren on top of a tall pole radiates sound waves uniformly in all
directions. At a distance of 15.0 m the intensity of the sound is 0.250 W/m 2. At
what distance from the siren is the intensity of 0.010 W/m 2?

Reflection

Give practical applications of the concepts that you have learned from the learning
activities. Write your 5-sentence answer in a separate sheet of paper.

RUBRICS
3 2 1 0
Practical application Practical application is Practical No discussion.
is scientifically scientifically explained application is
explained consistent consistent to the explained
to the concepts, and concepts, but with consistent to the
has no minimal concepts but with
misconceptions. misconceptions. misconceptions.

Author: Shekaina Faith C. Lozada

School/Station: Gamut National High School
Division: Surigao del Sur
email address: shekainah.lozada@deped.gov.ph
 email address: shekainah.lozada@deped.gov.ph
Division: Surigao del Sur
School/Station: Gamut National High School
Author: Shekaina Faith C. Lozada
Activity 1: Mechanical Waves and Wave Intensity
What to do 1:
1. No, it is not possible to produce to longitudinal wave in stretched string.
That is because it is almost impossible to compress the string along its
length. It will bend and produce the transverse wave.
2. Yes, it is possible to produce transverse wave in a steel rod. This is because
if we can bend steel rod perpendicular to its length, which will produce the
transverse wave.
3. A wave has a wavelength λ, which is the distance between adjacent identical
parts of the wave. The wavelength is related to the wave's frequency and
period by v=λ/T or v=λf. The time for one complete wave cycle is the period T.
The number of waves per unit time is the frequency ƒ.
4. The speed of waves on a string, does not depend on the wavelength.
However, if we double the wavelength of a wave on a string, the frequency
becomes one-half.
What to do 2:
1. a. λ = 0.44 m , T = 0.00128 s
b. λ = 0.219 m
2. a. ω = 12.6 rad/s
b. T = 0.500 s
c. k = 1.05 rad/m
3. 75.0 m
Answer Key
Solutions, 2012.
Zemansky's University Physics. 13th ed. Boston, MA: Pearson Learning
Young, Hugh D., Roger A. Freedman, A. Lewis Ford, and Hugh D. Young. Sears and
Thomson Brooks/Cole, 2004.
Serway, Raymond and John Jewett. Physics for Scientists and Engineers 6th ed.
2017.
Caintic, Helen E. General Physics 1 for Senior High School. C & E Publishing Inc.,
Education, Inc. 2005.
Glancolli, Douglas. Physics Principles and Applications 6th ed. New Jersey: Pearson
References for learners: