GENERAL WAVE PROPERTIES

• Waves transfer energy without transferring matter.

• Waves are produced by vibrating ropes and springs and water waves.
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Example: Water waves are
produced in labs by oscillating

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paddle in shallow water.

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vibrating rope tied at one end
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Wavefronts:The expanding circles formed
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when a stone is dropped are known as wave

fronts
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 Difference between transverse waves and longitudinal waves
Transverse waves Longitudinal waves
Definition Waves in which particles Waves in which particles vibrate(
vibrate( oscillate/move up oscillate/)[1] along the line of the

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down)[1] at right angles to waves ( or along the direction of the
the wave direction[1]re wave.[1]re called as longitudinal

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called as transverse waves waves
Examples Water waves, waves on a Sound waves, waves on a slinky

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vibrating rope, all spring,
electromagnetic radiations

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Description Transverse waves show Longitudinal waves show area of
regions called as crests or compression and rarefaction. The

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troughs. areas of compression are where the
particles of the waves are close

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together( high pressure region),
while the areas of rarefaction are
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where they are far apart( low
pressure region).
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Wavelength , amplitude of transverse waves:

Amplitude: It is the maximum displacement of a wave from its rest position.
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Wavelength: It is the distance between two consecutive crests or two consecutive

troughs or any two points in phase.
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Frequency: It is the number of complete vibrations per unit time.

Amplitude: It is the maximum displacement of a wave from its rest position
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Transverse Wave Longitudinal wave

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 Longitudinal waves can also be shown in the following way.

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Note: Longitudinal waves are also called as pressure waves because they have

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regions of low pressure when molecules are furthest apart and regions of high
pressure where molecules are the closest. as shown below.

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 Speed of waves(v):
It is the distance travelled by a wave crest or a wave trough every second.
Note:
Speed of sound in air is 340m/s and in vacuum is 343m/s .
Speed of sound in water and steel: The acceptable values as per the

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markschemes are in the range " 1 and 9.9 x103m/s.
Formula for speed 𝒗𝒗 = 𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇

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where; v = speed
f= frequency

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𝒇𝒇 = 𝒘𝒘𝒘𝒘𝒗𝒗𝒘𝒘𝒘𝒘𝒘𝒘𝒘𝒘𝒘𝒘𝒘𝒘𝒘𝒘
Numerical:

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Solution:
𝑣𝑣 = 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓
3.00 x 108= 2.45 x 109 x 𝑓𝑓
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3 𝑥𝑥 10 8
𝑓𝑓 = =1.22x 10-1m=0.12m
2.45 𝑥𝑥 10 9
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 Application based questions:
MCQ:

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EXTENDED THEORY QUESTIONS:

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Reflection, refraction and diffraction of waves

REFLECTION:

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• After refection, a wave has the same speed, frequency and wavelength
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as before.
• Only the direction of the wave changes.
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Refraction
Definition: Refraction is the change in the direction of the waves at the
boundary when they travel from one medium to another.
Water waves refract if the depth changes.

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for example when water waves travel from deep water to shallow water, they
refract.

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Medium Effect

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Waves bend towards the boundary
when water waves travel from deep

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water to shallow water. Their speed
and wavelength decreases. Their

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frequency is unchanged.

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Waves bend away from the boundary
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when water waves travel from shallow
water to deep water. Their speed and
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wavelength increases Their frequency

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is unchanged.
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If the waves strike the boundary an

angle of incidence= 00,then there is no
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refraction. The speed and the

wavelength and frequency changes as
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explained above depending on whether

waves travel from shallow to dep or
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deep to shallow water.

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Note:
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• If the waves meet the boundary between deep and shallow water at an
angle , then the direction of the waves changes.
• Speed of waves does not change during reflection and diffraction.
• Speed of waves changes during refraction
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Diffraction:
Diffraction is the spreading of waves when they pass through a gap
or move past an obstacle.

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Note:
• The narrower the gap , the more the waves spread out
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( greater diffraction)
• The wider the gap, the less the waves spread out(the lesser
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is the diffraction.
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• Maximum diffraction happens when the gap width is equal to

the wavelength of the waves.
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• Wavelength, frequency period and speed stay the same on

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diffraction.
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APPLICATION BASED QUESTIONS
MCQ:

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EXTENDED THEORY QUESTIONS
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This wave pattern is wrong because:[2]
1. The wave fronts have been drawn straight whereas they should have been

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circular.
2. The wavelengths have not been drawn with the same wavelength(They are

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not the same distance apart)
3.Waves should have entered more in the shadow area

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APPLICATION BASED QUESTIONS-EXTENDED THEORY

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-------------End of lesson------------
------Happy learning--------

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