DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND NANOTECHNOLOGY

SRM INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

18PYB201T - Waves and Optics

Module-II, Lecture-1

Transverse and longitudinal waves:

Basics
&
Velocity in wave motion
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18PYB201T Module-II Lecture-1
 WAVE
• A wave is a disturbance that carries energy from
place to place. A wave does NOT carry matter with
it! It just moves the matter as it goes through it.
• Some waves do not need matter (called a
“medium”) to be able to move (for example,
through space), these are called
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES (or EM waves).
• Some waves MUST have a medium in order to
move. These are called MECHANICAL WAVES.

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18PYB201T Module-II Lecture-1
 Wave Types
1. Transverse waves: Waves in which the medium
moves at right angles to the direction of the wave

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18PYB201T Module-II Lecture-1
 Wave Types
Parts of transverse waves:
Crest: the highest point of the wave
Trough: the lowest point of the wave

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18PYB201T Module-II Lecture-1
 Wave Types
2. Compressional or Longitudinal waves: Waves
in which the medium moves back and forth in the
same direction as the wave

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18PYB201T Module-II Lecture-1
Parts of longitudinal waves:
Compression: where the particles are close together
Rarefaction: where the particles are spread apart

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18PYB201T Module-II Lecture-1
 Wave Properties
Wave properties depend on what
(type of energy) is making the waves.
Wavelength: The distance between one point on a wave
and the exact same place on the next wave. Physically, this
means that the wavelength is equal to the distance between
two consecutive crests (or troughs). Wavelength is denoted
by the symbol λ.

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18PYB201T Module-II Lecture-1
 Wave Properties
Frequency: Is the number of complete cycles per
second made by a wave.
The SI unit of frequency is the hertz (Hz), which is
equal to 1 cycle per second.
The higher the frequency, the more energy in the
wave.

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18PYB201T Module-II Lecture-1
 Wave Properties
Amplitude: How far the medium moves from rest
position (where it is when not moving).
Remember that for transverse waves, the highest point is the
crest, and the lowest point is the trough.

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 Wave Properties
Remember that for compressional waves, the points where the
medium is close together are called compressions and the
areas where the medium is spread apart are called
rarefactions.
The closer together and further apart the particles are, the
larger the amplitude.

compression wavelength

rarefaction
wavelength
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18PYB201T Module-II Lecture-1
 Wave Properties
Energy: The energy of a wave is proportional to the
square of its amplitude. Mathematically speaking . . .
E = CA2
Where:
E = energy (the capacity to do work)
C = a constant (depends on the medium)
A = amplitude

For example:
If the amplitude is equal to 3 units
(and we assume C = 1 for this case) . . .

E = (1) (3)2 = (1) (9) = 9 units

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18PYB201T Module-II Lecture-1
 Wave Properties

Time Period: The time period of the oscillation of the

particles in the medium is the time period of the wave. It is
denoted by the symbol T.
Time period = the amount of time for one cycle to do a
complete motion

The frequency of a wave is the reciprocal of the time period.

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 Wave Properties
Wave speed: Depends on the medium in which
the wave is traveling. It varies in solids, liquids
and gases.
A mathematical way to calculate speed:
wave speed = wavelength x frequency
(in meters) (in Hz)

v: velocity (m/s)

v=×f :
f:
wavelength (m)
frequency (Hz)
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18PYB201T Module-II Lecture-1
 Wave Properties
PHASE OF A WAVE

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18PYB201T Module-II Lecture-1
 Velocities in Wave Motion
• There are three velocities in wave motion which are
quite distinct although they are connected
mathematically.
1. The particle velocity: which is the simple harmonic
velocity of the oscillator about its equilibrium position.
2. The wave or phase velocity: the velocity with which
planes of equal phase, crests or troughs, progress through
the medium.

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18PYB201T Module-II Lecture-1
 Velocities in Wave Motion
3. The group velocity: A number of waves of
different frequencies, wavelengths and velocities
may be superposed to form a group. Waves rarely
occur as single monochromatic components; a white
light pulse consists of an infinitely fine spectrum of
frequencies and the motion of such a pulse would be
described by its group velocity. Such a group
would, of course, ‘disperse’ with time because the
wave velocity of each component would be
different in all media except free space. Only in free
space would it remain as white light.
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18PYB201T Module-II Lecture-1