WAVE MOTION

- A wave is a disturbance that travel through a medium from one location to another.

- A medium is the material that is disturbed as the wave passes through it

Types of waves
(i) Transverse waves
- Transverse waves is the type of wave in which particle vibrate perpendicular to the
direction of travel of the wave e.g. electromagnetic waves, water wave and rope wave

- Transverse waves are characterised by crests and troughs.

Direction of vibration of particle

Or

Terms associated with waves

(a) AMPLITUDE (A)

 The maximum displacement of the particles from the rest position
(b) WAVE LENGTH
 The distance between two successive particles which are inphase e.g. from crest to crest or
compression to compression e.t.c.

(c) PERIOD (T)

 Time taken to produce a complete wave. It is measured in seconds.
T = t/n
Or T = 1/f

(d) FREQUENCY (f)

The total number of complete waves produced in a second. It is measured is
which is given a special name Hertz [Hz].
f= n/t
or f = 1/T
The frequency and period are related by
 Example

WAVE DIAGRAMS
(a) Displacement – Time Graph
The plot of displacement of one particle in the medium against time. From this graph we read
the period (T) and amplitude (A)
 S /m

Amplitude

t(s)
T
(b) Diplacement – Position Graph

-The plot of displacement against position with respect to the source of all the particle in the
medium at a given instant in time. From the graph we read the wavelength ( ) and amplitude
(A). It is referred to as the wave profile.

dispalcement/m

distance/m

The ripple tank

The behaviour of water waves can be studied in a ripple tank. It consists of a transparent tray
containing water, having a light source above and a white screen below to receive the
waveimages.

Pulses (i.e. short bursts) of ripples are obtained by dipping a finger in the water for circular
ripples and a ruler for straight ripples. Continuous ripples are generated using an electric motor
and a bar. The bar gives straight ripples if it just touches the water or circular ripples if it is
raised and has a small ball fitted to it.

(ii) Longitudinal waves

 Longitudinal waves is type of wave in which particles vibrate parallel to the direction of translation
of wave. E.g. sound wave, wave on a spring

 Longitudinal waves are characterised by a series of compression and rarefaction.

wavelegth

R C R C

Or
 On the longitudinal wave the positions where the particles are compressed together are called
compressions and where they are far apart are called rarefactions.

SOUND WAVES

 Sound waves are caused by vibrations, which must have a material medium through which
to travel. Sound will not pass through a vacuum.

 Sound waves are therefore mechanical and longitudinal in nature. Sound waves can be
produced by a tuning fork, as the prongs vibrate a series of compressions and rarefactions
are sent
Characteristics Of Sound
(i) Pitch of sound is the highness or lowness of sound characterized by the frequency producing
it. Meaning the greater the frequency, the higher the pitch.

(ii) Loudness of sound is the intensity of sound as perceived by our sense of hearing.
Loudness of sound depends on the amplitude.
- A scale has been developed to measure the relative intensity of sounds. The scale
is based on a unit called decibel (dB).
(iii) Quality of Sound
 the quality of sound or timbre of sound enables one to distinguish between two sounds of
the same pitch and equal intensities sounded on two different sources of sound such as
voices and musical instruments

 this factor can be determined by :

(i) the particular harmonics present in addition to the fundamental vibration
(ii) the relative amplitude of each harmonic that is, the loudness of each harmonic
compared with the fundamental frequency

(iii) the transient sounds produced when the vibration is started Factors affecting the
quality of sound

Range of Audible Frequencies

 The norma human ear is capable of detecting sound in the range of about 20 to 20, 000Hz
or vibration per second.

 Sounds with frequencies higher than 20,00Hz are called ultra sound because they are about
the range of human hearing. Some animal hear quite well at this level.

 Sound with frequencies lower than 20Hz are called infrasound. Uses of ultrasound

(i) They are used for measuring and detecting objects. E.g. detecting the depth of the sea by
the use of echo-sounders.

(ii) Ultrasonic imaging is used in veterinary and human medicine

(iii) They are used for testing for hairline fractures in the wings of airplanes or metal bridges.
(iv) They are used in cleaning delicate objects, such as jewellery, lenses, watches and
surgical instruments.
To Demonsreate That Sound Waves Require Material Medium For Transmission
An electric bell is suspended inside a bell jar by means of elastic bands. The wires go through the
cork so that no part of the bell touches the glass. When the bell is connected up, we can both hear
the both it ringing and see the hammer hitting the gong. The air pump is started and as the air is
drawn out the sound of the bell gets fainter and fainter. If a real good vacuum can be produced
we can not hear the bell at all, although it can be seen to still working. When the air is let in the
bell jar the sound returns, so the conclusion is that sound will not travel in a vacuum but light
does.
 To battery

Wires threaded through cork and sealed with

wax

hammer
Gong
to vacuum pump
Although sounds usually travel through the air, they will travel through other substances. Sounds
travels at different speeds in different substances. The table below gives the velocity of sound in
some common substances.

Substance Velocity
Air at 0oC 331m/s
Air at 20oC 355m/s
Water at 20oC 1457m/s
Iron 5000m/s (approx)
Wood 4000m/s (approx)
Rock 2500m/s (approx)

MEASURING THE VELOCITY OF SOUND IN AIR

(a) RECIPROCAL FIRING

 Two experimenters ‘A ‘ and ‘ B’ stand at a measured distance ‘d’ from each other in
an open space. ‘A’ fires a canon and ‘B’ measures the time taken ‘t1’ taken for sound
to reach ‘B ‘ after seeing the flash. Find the speed as follows

d
S1 = t 1

‘B’ fires a canon and ‘A’ records the time ‘ t2’ to receive sound after seeing the flash

d
S2 =
t2

(b) ECHO METHOD

In this method one experimenter stands at a measured distance ‘d’ from a cliff or
 wall in an open space. He fires a gun and records the ‘t’ time taken for the echo to
reach him from the cliff.

Speed = 2total distance

time

2d
Speed =

t
Example
A man stood in front of a tall cliff. He fired a pistol into the air and started his stopwatch
simultaneously. After 3.0 s, he heard the echo of the pistol shot. Given that the speed of sound
is 330 m/s, fnd his distance from the cliff.

Solution
Let distance of man from cliff be d.
2d = 330 × 3.0 d
= 495 m

(We used 2d because 3.0 s is the time taken for the sound to hit the cliff and be reflected
back to the man.)

Electromagnetic Waves
 Electromagnetic waves are waves that are created as a result of vibration between an
electric field and a magnetic field.
 Consider the table below
Properties Of The Electromagnetic Waves