Honor Physics

Waves and sounds

Name _____________________

I. What is a Mechanical Wave?

A. Mechanical Wave – Transfer of ONLY ____________ through a _____________ that

causes the ________________ to vibrate

B. A mechanical wave requires a ________________ (substance that wave moves in) to

travel through.

C. Pulse - _______________ disturbance moving through a _______________

D. Periodic Wave – A _____________ of repeated pulses in a _______________ caused

by a regular _____________________

II. Types of Waves

A. Transverse – Disturbance of the medium is _______________________ to the motion

of the ________________ ( )

• Examples: _______________________________________________________

• Drawing of Transverse

1
 Page 6 of38 Phl 1_UnitPacketKey

Types of Waves
1. Transverse Waves
• A transverse wave is a wave that oscillates in a direction that is �endicularto the direction of the

motion of the wave itself.

On the following waves label:

1. direction of wave travel
2. direction of medium disolacement
• Examples of transverse waves are:

ocean waves, guitar

string, l ight waves

2. Longitudinal Waves

• A longitudinal wave is one where the medium oscillates in a direction _garallel to the direction of

overall wave motion.

2
 B. Longitudinal – Disturbance of the medium is _______________________ to the

motion of the __________________ ( )

• Example: ________________

• Drawing of Longitudinal

compression
III. Anatomy of a Wave

ENERGY

• Crests: _______________ Troughs: ________________

• Wavelength( ): horizontal distance measured for one complete cycle

(Examples: )

• (360o) In Phase: Two consecutive points that are _______________ wavelength apart and
are traveling in the same direction at the same time

(Examples: )

• 180o Out of Phase: Two consecutive points that are ______________ wavelength apart and
are moving in ________________ directions at the same time

(Examples: )

• Amplitude( ): Maximum _________________ from undisturbed position (Greater the

amplitude, greater the _____________ carried)

• Period ( ): Time required for one complete wave to pass through a given point.

• Frequency ( ) (See reference tables): number of waves that pass in one second
(Units: 1/s = Hertz (Hz)

Equations (see ref. tabs.):

3
 • Speed of a Wave (see reference tables):

Example: AM (amplitude modulation) and FM (frequency modulation) radio waves are transverse waves that
consist of electric and magnetic disturbances. These waves travel at the speed of 3.00 x 10 8 m/s. A station
broadcasts an AM radio wave whose frequency is 1230 x 10 3 Hz (1230 kHz on the dial) and an FM radio wave
whose frequency is 91.9 x 10 6 Hz (91.9 MHz on the dial). Find the distance between adjacent crests in each wave
(find the wavelength).

IV. Whiteboard Problems:

1. Describe how the particles move in a… A) longitudinal wave; B) transverse wave.
2. As the period of a wave decreases, what happens to the wave’s frequency?
3. A wave traveling 5.00 x 10 4 m/s has a wavelength of 2.50 x 10 1 m. What is the frequency of the wave?
4. The elapsed time between two successive crests of a transverse wave passing a given point is 0.08 s. A) Find
the period of the wave. B) Find the frequency of the wave.
5. The distance from one crest of a water wave to the next crest is 4 m. One crest passes an observation point
every 2.5 seconds. A) Find the speed of the wave. B) How much time is required for the wave to travel 50 m?
C) How far will the wave travel in 4.0 s?
6. A sound wave has a frequency of 262 Hz and a wavelength measured at 1.29 m. A) What is the speed of the
wave? B) How long will it take the wave to travel the length of a football field, 91.4 m? C) What is the
period of the wave?

V. Waves Traveling on a String

• Factors that Effect a Wave’s Speed on a string:

1. ________________________ in which wave is traveling (travel faster in ___________ strings)

2. ________________________ in the string (as _____________ increase, speed increases)

• Conceptual Questions:

1. Which of the pulses will hit the wall first?

Different Amplitudes Different Wavelengths

4
 2. As period of a wave increases in a given medium,

A) its speed will (increase/decrease/remain the same), reasoning:

B) its frequency will (increase/decrease/remain the same), reasoning:

C) its wavelength will (increase/decrease/remain the same), reasoning:

VI. Wave Entering a New Medium

• Velocity of a wave depends on the wave’s __________________________

A) When does a wave’s velocity change?

B) What changes about the wave?

C) What remains constant about the wave?

• _________________ and _________________ only depend on the source

• When a wave enters a new medium its speed and wavelength change

• Equation:

• Example: A wave with a wavelength of 4 m and a speed of 5 m/s enters a new medium. In
the new medium, the speed of the wave is 7.5 m/s.
A) What is the wavelength of the wave in the new medium?

B) What is the frequency of the wave in both media?

5
 VII. Whiteboard:
1. A sound wave produced by a clock chime is heard 515 m away 1.50 s later. A) What is the speed of sound of
the clock’s chime in air? B) The sound wave has a frequency of 436 Hz. What is its period? C) What is its
wavelength?
2. If you want to increase the wavelength of waves in a rope, should you shake it at a higher or lower frequency?
3. A periodic longitudinal wave that has a frequency of 20 Hz travels along a coil spring. If the distance between
successive compressions is 0.4 m, what is the speed of the wave?
4. A sound wave is produced by a musical instrument for 0.4 s. If the frequency of the wave is 370 Hz, how many
complete waves are produced in that time period?
5. A tuning fork produces a sound with a frequency of 256 Hz and a wavelength in air of 1.35 m. A) What value
does this give for the speed of sound in air? B) What would be the wavelength of the wave produced by this
tuning fork in water in which sound travels 1500 m/s.
6. A wave traveling at 6 m/s with a wavelength of 10 m enters a new medium and slows down to 2 m/s. Find the
new wavelength of the wave.

VIII. Waves at Boundaries

• When a wave encounters the boundary between two different media (materials), three
things can happen:

1. _____________________ back

2. ______________________ into new medium

3. Energy (wave) can be _______________________ by new ____________________

• Reflection of a wave from a boundary between two different media:

A. “Free End” Reflection: (like when a wave goes from a thick rope into a thinner rope or
boundary where the second material is less “dense”)

B. “Fixed End” Reflection: (like when a wave strikes a wall or boundary where the
second material is more “dense”)

6
 • Example: A pulse is sent along a thin rope that is attached to a thick rope, which is
tied to a wall. What happens when the pulse reaches point A? Point B?

Point A: Some of the wave is ________________ back (inverted) and some of the wave

passes _________________ (no phase change)

Point B: Wave is ___________________ back ____________________ (180o phase change)

IX. Superposition of Waves

• When two waves traveling in the same _________ meet, the ___________ at

any point in the medium is _______ to the algebraic ______ of the

displacements due to the individual waves

A. Crest Meets a Crest

• Also Known As:

7
 B. Trough meets a Crest

• Also Known As:

X. Two Sources in Phase in the Same Medium (Interference)

Key

Crest

Trough

8
XI. Standing Waves:

• Occurs when two waves with the SAME _______________, _________________, and

__________________, but OPPOSITE ____________________ interfere in the same medium.

• When crest meets crest and trough meets trough: ___________________ interference

• When crest meets trough: _________________________ interference

• Standing Wave Diagram:

• Node: ______________________________________________________

• Antinode: ___________________________________________________

XII. Determining Wavelength and Frequency of Standing Waves:

1st Harmonic (1 antinode)

• 1st Standing Wave:

9
 • 2nd Standing Wave:

• 3rd Standing Wave:

• In general:

• Example: A string of length 12 m that is fixed at both ends supports a standing wave with a
total of 5 nodes. The string vibrates up and down at 20 cycles in 10 s. 1) Sketch the standing
wave. 2) What is the… A) Harmonic number, B) wavelength, C) frequency, D) period, and
E) speed of this standing wave?

XIII. Forced Vibrations and Resonance

• Every object vibrates at its own ___________________________

• Resonance: __________________ of forced vibrations matches the object’s

_______________________________

• An increase in ____________________ will result

• Examples: ___________________________________________________________

XIV. Resonance of Sound Waves in Tubes

Tubes that are open on one end and closed at the other end

• Standing Waves are created as shown below:

10
XV. Waves in Two Dimensions

• Ray – Straight line to represent direction of wave

• A. Reflection:

B. Refraction:

• A wave’s change in _____________________ and _______________ as it

enters a new _________________

Medium 1 Medium 2 Medium 1 Medium 2

11
 XVI. Diffraction

• Definition – ___________________ or ____________________ of a wave around a barrier or opening

• The ________________ the wavelength and ___________________ the opening, the GREATER the

diffraction will be.

A. Single Slit Diffraction B. Double Slit Diffraction

XVII. Doppler Effect

• Definition -

• Stationary Source and Observers (relative motion is zero)

12
• Relative Motion of Source with Respect to Observers

Observer A:

Observer B:

• Conclusions:

A) Source Approaching – observed f is ___________ than source f

( ____________ pitch, _____________ wavelength)

B) Source Receding (moving away) - observed f is ___________ than source f

( ____________ pitch, _____________ wavelength)

Examples:
1. A police officer’s stationary radar device indicates that the frequency of the radar wave
reflected from an automobile is less than the frequency emitted by the radar device. This
indicates that the automobile is…

2. A fan is in the grandstands at the Daytona 500 and has his back towards the track. He knows
the cars are approaching because there is an increase in the wave’s apparent…

3. A stationary person makes observations of the periodic waves produced by a moving source.
When the wave source recedes from the observer, he observes an apparent increase in the
wave’s…

4. What does it mean that light from distant stars is being “redshifted?”

13
 The Doppler Effect
Doppler shift - change in ___________ of waves received by an observer whenever the wave source and/or
the observer are in motion toward or away from one another.

v = speed of sound
vd = speed of detector vs = speed of source
vd = 0 if detector is stationary vs = 0 if source is stationary
vd is positive if detector is moving vs is negative if it is moving
toward source toward the detector
vd is negative if detector is moving vs is positive if it is moving away
away from the source from the detector

Hint: when working Doppler shift problems, associate the word

toward with a frequency ___________ and the words away
from or recede with a frequency ___________.

Sample: A train moving at a speed of 40.0 m/s sounds its whistle, which has a frequency of 500 Hz.
Determine the frequency heard by a stationary observer as the train approaches the observer. The ambient
temperature is 24.0˚C.

14
 Characteristics of sound:
Sound
• All sounds are produced by the ___________ of material objects.
• Sound is a ___________ wave.
• The speed of the sound wave is dependent upon the MEDIUM in which it travels. The speed is
generally greater through DENSER materials.
• Speed of sound is ___________ dependent
At 0˚C, speed of sound is 331.5 m/s

Note: if the speed of sound or temperature is not given, assume it is 345 m/s.

Terms:

• Speed: the speed of a wave is given by v = f

• PITCH : frequency
• LOUDNESS : amplitude
• DECIBLES : unit for measuring sound level

• TIMBRE : sound quality

• BEAT : what a listener hears when 2 sound waves of slightly different frequency are played
• RESONANCE : a vibrating object induces a vibration of the same frequency in another object
• NATURAL FREQUENCY : the particular frequency that an object tends to vibrate (or resonate) at

when disturbed

___________ ( β ) The units of the intensity level of sound are decibel, or dB, in honor of Alexander
Graham Bell. Since the intensity level is based on a log scale, every change of 10 dB means that the sound is 10
times more intense; a change of 20 dB means that the sound is 102, or 100 times more intense.

Sample: Meredith measures the sound intensity level in the classroom at 60 dB and at 120 dB at a rock
concert. How much more intense was the sound at the rock concert than in the classroom?

60 dB to 120 dB is a change of 60 dB. 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 = 1,000,000

MACH # - How fast an object is traveling, expressed as a multiple of the SPEED OF SOUND. A plane
traveling at Mach 2 would be traveling at TWICE the speed of sound.

The speed of sound is called Mach 1

Mach is commonly used to represent an object's speed, such as an aircraft
or a missile, when it is travelling at the speed of sound or at multiples of it.
The speed higher than Mach 1 is called supersonic speed.

Sample: What velocity of sound in air would correspond to Mach 1.8?

15
 Wave Basics Name:

Waves

MOP Connection: Waves: sublevel 1

TRUE or FALSE: Identify the following statements as being either true (T) or false (F).
T or F?
1. Waves are created by a vibration.
2. As a wave moves through a medium, the individual particles of the medium move
from the source of the wave to another location some distance away.
3. Waves are a means of transporting energy from one location to another without
actually displacing matter from one location to another.
4. An ocean wave will transport ocean water from near the middle of the ocean to a
location near the shore.
5. As mechanical waves move through a medium, particles of the medium undergo a
periodic and repeated vibration about a fixed position.

6. Describe how a wave is different than a pulse.

7. Mechanical waves propagate or move through a medium because ________.

a. the particles of the medium are able to move along the curved wavelike pathway
b. one particle pushes or pulls on the adjacent particle which pushes or pulls on the next particle
which ...
c. the initial vibration of the medium causes the medium to assume the wavelike shape and this
shape subsequently moves from one location to another.

8. Which of the following categories of waves require a medium in order to transport energy from one
location to another?
a. mechanical b. electromagnetic

16
Wave Basics

9. What's Wrong With This?

Suppose you're watching a science fiction movie and one of the scenes involves a spaceship
battle in outer space. Spaceship A launches a successful strike on spaceship B. The scene is
presented from the perspective of spaceship A. The occupants of spaceship A view
spaceship B blowing up as the result of the successful missile strike. They see the flames of
the explosion and shortly thereafter hear the thunderous sound of the explosion.
While the scene is definitely exciting, there is a significant fault with it in terms of the physics. What
law of physics was violated in the filming of the scene? Explain.

10. The arrows on the diagrams below represent the direction of particle motion.

Diagram A shows a ____ pulse and diagram B shows a ____ pulse.

a. longitudinal, transverse b. transverse, longitudinal

11. Compare the direction in which particles of the medium vibrate for a longitudinal wave compared to a transverse wa

A) Based on the pictures above, identify the direction the energy in moving in each of the diagrams.

B) Identify which diagram represents a transverse wave and a longitudinal wave.

C) Compare the direction in which particles in diagram A vibrate relative to the energy it carries.

D) Compare the direction in which particles in diagram B vibrate relative to the energy it carries.

17
 Wave Basics Name:

Describing Waves

MOP Connection: Waves: sublevels 2 and 3

1. A wave is introduced into a medium

and a snapshot of the medium at a
particular instant in time is shown at the
right. Several positions along the
medium are labeled. Categorize the
positions as either crests or troughs.
Crests: Troughs: Neither:

2. The wavelength of the wave in the diagram below is given by letter ______ and the amplitude of the
wave in the diagram below is given by letter _____.

3. A sine curve that represents a transverse wave is drawn below. Use the centimeter ruler to measure
the wavelength and amplitude of the wave (show units).

a. Wavelength = __________ b. Amplitude = ______________

4. The number of cycles of a periodic wave per unit time is called the wave's ___________.
5. Any repeated and periodic motion can be described by a frequency. For instance, the frequency of
rotation of a second hand on a clock is _______.
a. 1/60 Hz b. 1/12 Hz c. 1/2 Hz d. 1 Hz e. 60 Hz

6. A pendulum makes 40 Throughout this unit, internalize the meaning of

vibrations in 20 seconds. terms such as period, frequency, wavelength and
Calculate its period? speed. Utilize the meaning of these terms to
answer conceptual questions; avoid formula
fixation.

18
Wave Basics

7. Olive Udadi accompanies her father to the park for an afternoon of fun. While there, she hops on the
swing and begins a motion characterized by a complete back-and-forth cycle every 5.0 seconds. This
statement provides info about the child's _____.
a. speed b. frequency c. period
8. The frequency of Olive's periodic motion (in #7) is _____.
a. 0.20 Hz b. 0.40 Hz c. 2.5 Hz d. 5.0 Hz

9. A period of 5.0 seconds corresponds to a frequency of _____ Hz.

a. 0.2 b. 0.5 c. 0.02 d. 0.05 e. 0.002
10. The period of a 261-Hertz sound wave is ________________.
11. As the frequency of a wave increases, the period of the wave ___________.
a. decreases b. increases c. remains the same
12. The speed of a wave refers to
a. how often it vibrates to and fro.
b. how high it vibrates.
c. how much time it takes to vibrate to and fro.
d. how far a given point (e.g., a crest) on the wave travels per unit of time.

13. Write the two equations that can be used to determine the speed of a wave.

14. Mac and Tosh are resting on top of the water near the end of the pool when Mac creates a surface
wave. The wave travels the length of the pool and back in 25 seconds. The pool is 25 meters long.
Determine the speed of the wave. PSYW

15. A fisherman uses a sonic ranger to determine the depth of a lake. The sound waves travel at 1210
m/s through the water and require 0.020 seconds to travel to the lake's bottom and back to the boat.
How deep is the lake? PSYW

16. The water waves below are traveling with a speed of 3.0 m/s and splashing periodically against the
Wilbert's perch. Each adjacent crest is 6.0 meters apart and splashes Wilbert's feet upon reaching his
perch. How much time passes between each successive drenching? ____________ Answer and
explain using complete sentences or a calculation.

19
 Wave Basics Name:

Wave Speed
Read from Lesson 2 of the Waves chapter at The Physics Classroom:
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/waves/u10l2d.html
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/waves/u10l2e.html
MOP Connection: Waves: sublevels 3 and 4
1. A physics teacher attaches a slinky to the wall and begins introducing pulses with different
amplitude. Which of the two pulses below will take the least amount of time to reach the wall?

Justify your answer:

2. The physics teacher then begins introducing pulses with a different wavelength. Which of the two
pulses below will take the least amount of time to reach the wall?

Justify your answer:

3. Stan and Anna are conducting a slinky experiment. They are studying the possible effect of several
variables upon the speed of a wave in a slinky. Their data table is shown below. Fill in the blanks in
the table, analyze the data, and answer the following questions.
Medium Wavelength Frequency Speed

Zinc, 1-in. dia. coils 1.75 m 2.0 Hz

Zinc, 1-in. dia. coils 0.90 m 3.9 Hz
Copper, 1-in. dia. coils 1.19 m 2.1 Hz
Copper, 1-in. dia. coils 0.60 m 4.2 Hz
Zinc, 3-in. dia. coils 1.82 m 2.2 Hz

Zinc, 3-in. dia. coils 0.95 m 4.2 Hz

20
Wave Basics

QUESTIONS 4 - 6 ARE BASED ON DATA FROM THE TABLE ON PAGE 7

4. As the wavelength of a wave in a uniform medium increases, its speed will _____.
a. decrease b. increase c. remain the same
5. As the wavelength of a wave in a uniform medium increases, its frequency will _____.
a. decrease b. increase c. remain the same
6. The speed of a wave depends upon (i.e., is causally effected by) ...
a. the properties of the medium through which the wave travels
b. the wavelength of the wave. c. the frequency of the wave.
d. both the wavelength and the frequency of the wave.

7. A water gun fires 5 squirts per second. The speed

of the squirts is 15 m/s.

a. By how much distance is each consecutive squirt separated?

b. What happens to the distance between the squirts if the rate of fire is increased?

c. Explain how this example is analogous to the relationship between wave frequency and
wavelength.

8. What is the speed of a wave that has a frequency of 200 Hz and a wavelength of 0.50 m? PSYW

9. Waves are observed to splash upon the rocks at the shore

every 6.0 seconds. The distance measured from crest to Do you have formula
adjacent crest is 8.0 m. The distance measured from the fixation? A useful
lowest to the highest point on the medium is 10.0 m. test: were you
Determine the frequency, wavelength and speed of these successful with
waves. PSYW questions #8-11?

10. The period of a wave is 0.0300 seconds. It travels at a velocity of 10.0 m/s. Determine the frequency
and the wavelength of the wave. PSYW

11. A wave having a wavelength of 4.0 meters and an amplitude of 2.5 meters travels a distance of 24
meters in 8.0 seconds. Determine the frequency and the period of the wave. PSYW

12. Two boats are anchored 7.0 meters apart. They bob up and down, returning to the same up position
every 10.0 seconds. The boats rise a vertical distance of 7.0 meters between their lowest and their
highest point. When one is up the other is down. There are never any wave crests between the
boats. Determine the period, frequency, wavelength, amplitude and speed of the waves. PSYW

21
22
23
 Wave Basics Name:

Standing Wave Mathematics

MOP Connection: Waves: sublevels 7 and 8

A standing wave pattern results in a string, rope or snakey as a result of the interaction between the
waves introduced on one end with the reflection of the waves returning from the opposite end. At certain
frequencies, a pattern will be established within the medium in which there are positions that always
appear to be stationary. Midway between each of these stationary positions are positions which are
undergoing rapid motion between a maximum positive and maximum negative displacement from their
resting position.
1. The positions along the medium that appear to be stationary are known as ________________. They
are points of no displacement.
2. The positions along the medium that are undergoing rapid motion between a maximum positive
and maximum negative displacement are known as ______________________________. They are the
opposite of the points of no displacement.
3. Label the nodes (N) and antinodes (AN) in the following standing wave patterns.

4. In each of the two diagrams of standing wave patterns, count the number of nodes and antinodes.

5. Each node is separated by the adjacent node by a distance that is equal to _______ wavelength.

6. Draw the standing wave pattern that would result on the string below if the string vibrated with the
first, second, and third harmonic wave patterns. State the relationship between length and
wavelength for each of the three patterns.

7. Suppose that the string in the above diagram is 1.2 meters long. Determine the wavelength of the
waves shown in each of these three patterns.
1st Harmonic 2nd Harmonic 3rd Harmonic

24
Wave Basics

8. The string at the right is 1.5 meters long and is vibrating

as the first harmonic. The string vibrates up and down
with 33 cycles in 10 seconds. Determine the frequency,
period, wavelength and speed for this wave. PSAYW

9. The string at the right is 6.0 meters long and is vibrating

as the third harmonic. The string vibrates up and down
with 45 cycles in 10 seconds. Determine the frequency,
period, wavelength and speed for this wave. PSAYW

10. The string at the right is 5.0 meters long and is vibrating
as the fourth harmonic. The string vibrates up and down
with 48 cycles in 20 seconds. Determine the frequency,
period, wavelength and speed for this wave. PSAYW

11. The string at the right is 8.2 meters long and is

vibrating as the fifth harmonic. The string
vibrates up and down with 21 cycles in 5 seconds.
Determine the frequency, period, wavelength and
speed for this wave. PSAYW

25
 Wave Basics Name:

Interference of Waves

MOP Connection: Waves: sublevel 6

TRUE or FALSE: Identify the following statements as being either true (T) or false (F).

T or F?
1. When two pulses meet up with each other while moving through the same
medium, they have a tendency to bounce off each other and return back to their
origin.
2. Constructive interference occurs when a crest meets up with another crest at a
given location along the medium.
3. Destructive interference occurs when a pulse with an amplitude of +5 units
interferes with a pulse with an amplitude of -5 units.
4. Destructive interference occurs when a trough meets up with another trough at a
given location along the medium.
5. If a pulse with an amplitude of +5 units interferes with a pulse with an amplitude
of +3 units, the resulting amplitude of the medium will be +4 units - the average of
the two individual amplitudes.
6. If a pulse with an amplitude of +5 units interferes with a pulse with an amplitude
of -3 units, then neither constructive nor destructive interference occurs.
7. Two sound waves could never interfere in such a manner as to cancel each other
out and produce silence.

Principle of Superposition: The effect of two interfering waves upon a medium is to produce a resulting
shape and size that is the combination of the shapes and sizes of the individual waves. The amount of
displacement of the medium at any given location is simply the vector sum of the displacement of the
two individual waves at that location.
8. The diagrams below depict two pulses traveling towards each other and at the moment when they
are completely superimposed on each other. For each diagram, sketch the resultant of the two
pulses during the interference. Finally, indicate if the example represents a case of constructive or
destructive interference.
"Snapshot" of Two Pulses Constructive or
Before and During Interference Destructive?

26
Wave Basics

--Continued from front side:

9. Two waves are traveling along the same medium. The diagrams below show the waves on the
medium at an instant in time. Utilize the principle of superposition in order to construct the shape
of the medium at the instant shown in each diagram. To do so, begin by determining the resulting
displacement of the medium at each of the marked locations ( ). Approximate the shape of the
remainder of the medium by sketching from dot to dot.
Diagram A Diagram B

10. Several of the marked positions ( ) above are labeled with a letter. Categorize each labeled position
along the medium as being a position where either constructive or destructive interference occurs.
Constructive Interference Destructive Interference

27
 Wave Basics Name:

Boundary Behavior

MOP Connection: Waves: sublevel 5

Background:
The behavior of a traveling wave (or pulse) upon reaching the end of a medium is referred to as
boundary behavior. When one medium ends, another medium begins; the interface of the two media
is referred to as the boundary and the behavior of a wave at that boundary is described as its boundary
behavior. A pulse which is approaching a boundary is referred to as the incident pulse. Upon
reaching the boundary, a portion of the incident pulse will be reflected and remain in the same
medium; and a portion of the incident pulse will pass into (or be transmitted into) the other medium
which lies beyond the boundary. The portion of the pulse which is reflected is referred to as the
reflected pulse and the portion which passes into the other medium is referred to as the transmitted
pulse. A proper understanding of the boundary behavior of waves involves an ability to answer the
following questions.

Fixed and Free End Reflection:

1. State the rule that describes how a pulse will behave at a free- and a fixed-end.

2. Express your understanding of reflection of waves at the end of a medium by drawing the size and
orientation of the reflected pulse for the two cases below - reflection off a free end and a fixed end.

Reflection and Transmission of an Incident Pulse at a Boundary Between Two Media:

A pulse is moving from a more dense medium to a less dense medium as shown in the diagram below.

3. The reflected pulse in medium 1 ________ (will, will not) be inverted because
.
4. The speed of the transmitted pulse will be ___________ (greater than, less than, the same as) the
speed of the incident pulse.
5. The speed of the reflected pulse will be ______________ (greater than, less than, the same as) the
speed of the incident pulse.
6. The wavelength of the transmitted pulse will be ___________ (greater than, less than, the same as)
the wavelength of the incident pulse.

28
Wave Basics

A pulse is moving from a less dense medium to a more dense medium as shown in the diagram below.

7. The reflected pulse in medium 2 ________ (will, will not) be inverted because

8. The speed of the transmitted pulse will be ___________ (greater than, less than, the same as) the
speed of the incident pulse.
9. The speed of the reflected pulse will be ______________ (greater than, less than, the same as) the
speed of the incident pulse.
10. The wavelength of the transmitted pulse will be ___________ (greater than, less than, the same as)
the wavelength of the incident pulse.

11. Summarize your understanding of boundary behavior by completing the following statements.
When a wave passes across the boundary from one medium to another medium, the ...
... speed is _______________ (greatest, smallest) in the least dense media.
... wavelength is _______________ (greatest, smallest) in the least dense media.
... the reflected pulse becomes inverted only when the incident wave is in the __________ (more, less)
dense medium and heading toward the ___________ (more, less) dense medium.
Express your understanding of the rules of boundary behavior by drawing the reflected and transmitted
pulses in the following two situations. Show the orientation (inverted or non-inverted, wavelength and
speed) of each pulse.
12. Incident pulse is in the more dense medium and traveling toward the less dense medium.

13. Incident pulse is in the less dense medium and traveling toward the more dense medium.

29
30
31
32
33
34
35
 Topic #1: Wave Properties
Definitions

• _______________________ - a single vibratory disturbance

Transmits ENERGY but not MASS

• _______________________ - height above equilibrium (rest position) and directly related to

ENERGY.

• _______________________ - a continuum of particles of the same type that stores and

releases energy.

As a pulse travels in a medium it…

o ____________________________________________________

o ____________________________________________________

• _______________________ - a regularly repeating pulse.

36
 Mechanical Waves
Require a medium to travel. There are TWO types of mechanical waves – transverse & longitudinal.

Transverse Wave – particles of the medium move ____________________ to the wave’s direction
of travel.

v
___________
λ

Motion of particles in the

medium

____________

Longitudinal Wave – particles of the medium move ____________________ to the wave’s direction
of travel.

v λ
________________

Motion of particles in the

___________________ medium

37
 Wave Period, Frequency, & Velocity
Waves have a definite direction of travel.

Wave period (T) = ___________________________________________

Wave frequency (f) = ________________________________________

IMPORTANT: ONCE A WAVE IS PRODCUED, ITS FREQUENCY CANNOT BE CHANGED!

Equation

Wavelength (λ)= ____________________________________________

Equation

Because frequency is always the same, if a wave changes speed (by changing mediums), its
wavelength must also change.

Examples

1.) What is the period of a water wave if 4.0 complete waves pass a fixed point in 10. seconds?

38
2.) A wave with a frequency of 1.5 hertz is moving through a heavy spring where its wavelength is
2.0 meters.
o What is the speed of this wave?

o What wavelength would the wave have if it moved into a lighter spring where its speed
was 6.0 meters per second?

o What would probably happen to the amplitude of this wave after it moves into the lighter
spring?

Base your answers to questions 3 through 6 on the information and diagram below.
A student standing on a dock observes a piece of wood floating on the water as shown
below. As a water wave passes, the wood moves up and down, rising to the top of a wave crest
every 5.0 seconds.

3-4.) Calculate the frequency of the passing water waves. [Show all work, including the equation and
substitution with units.]

5-6.) Calculate the speed of the water waves. [Show all work, including the equation and substitution
with units.]

39
 Wave Phase
What is the direction of motion in the medium?

v v

Two points are considered to be “in phase” if they are moving in the same direction at the same time.

A D

B E
F
F

The number of degrees “out of phase” depends on the difference in wavelength between the points.

0° = ____________________________

90° = ___________________________

180° = __________________________

10

40
INFORMATION:
What is a Wave?
A wave is several pulses generated at regular intervals which move energy from point to point
without transporting matter. Wave motion is a mechanism for the transfer of energy from one
point to another. Mechanical Waves require a medium to transfer this energy while
Electromagnetic Waves do not.

Wave Types: Transverse Waves and Longitudinal Waves

In transverse waves the particles in the In longitudinal waves the particles in the
medium vibrate perpendicular to the medium vibrate parallel to the wave’s velocity.
wave’s velocity. (Ex: light) (Ex: sound)

The Parts of a Wave

All waves behave the same. Water waves, sound waves, and light waves all follow the same
rules for behavior. The wave shown below is a transverse wave (it looks like a sine curve). In
transverse waves, the particles in the medium move perpendicular to the wave’s motion.
(Remember: Transverse Perpendicular!!)

The diagram above can be used to define several wave characteristics. Wavelength (λ) is the
distance in meters from any point on the wave to the same point on the next wave. (B on the
diagram) As a definition it is the distance between consecutive points on a wave that are “in
phase.”

The Amplitude of the wave is the distance from the base of the wave to the point of maximum
displacement, either above or below (C on the diagram or half of D). This represents the energy
of the wave.

11

41
 Frequency, Period, and Wave Speed

The frequency (f) of a wave is how frequently the wave happens, which is equal to:
• The number of waves per second
• The number of oscillations per second
• The number of cycles per second
• The number of vibrations per second

It is measured in units of 1/second (1/s) which is called Hertz (Hz).

The inverse of frequency is called the period (T) of the wave and is defined as the time for one
wave (seconds/wave) measured in seconds and is given by the equation:

𝟏𝟏
T=
𝒇𝒇

The speed of all waves is given by v = f λ. The wavelength (in meters) multiplied by frequency
(cycles per second, or Hz) = velocity (meters/second). (Cycles aren’t really a unit in physics!)

Example:
In the diagram at the right, the period of the
wave is 0.5 seconds (the time for one
wavelength).

The frequency (1/T = 1/0.5 s) is equal to 2 Hz

(2 cycles per second).
This means that two full waves pass a given
point in one second.

Wave Phases
What does it mean to be “in phase”?
“In phase” simply means that two points are exactly
one wavelength (1 λ) apart (or “360o out of phase”).
In the diagram to the left, Points B and G are in phase
with each other (same point on the next wave).

What does it mean to be “out of phase”?

“Out of phase” (or “180° out of phase”) means that two
points are exactly ½ λ apart.
In the diagram to the left, Points C and E are exactly
out of phase.

12

42
 Topic #2: Wave Phenomena/Interactions
Phenomenon #1 - Reflection

Fixed Point Floating Point

before before

after after

REMINDER: If a pulse changes mediums it…

o ____________________________________________________

o ____________________________________________________

Fast  Slow Slow  Fast

before before

after after

13

43
 Phenomenon #2 – Interference

• _______________________ - the result of two waves meeting in a medium.

o ___________________________ - results in greater amplitude.

o ___________________________ - results in lower amplitude.

Constructive Destructive

• “In phase” interferes _________________________________

• “180° out of phase” interferes __________________________

• Between 0° and 180° results in different amounts of interference at different points.

14

44
 Interference of Two Point Sources of Waves

crest (wave front)

trough

15

45
 Phenomenon #3 - Standing Waves

• When a wave encounters a fixed boundary it _________________________.

• The reflected wave comes back through the original wave and they

____________________________.

• The result is a standing wave

o Standing wave features:

 __________________________ : always 180° out of phase (destructive

interference) - NO MOTION.

 ___________________________ : alternate between in-phase and 180° out

of phase –MAX MOTION.

Example

The grid below represents a 10.0 meter long string.

a. Sketch the standing wave that this string would produce if it were to have SIX nodes.

b. Draw a circle around each ANTINODE on the string.

c. Determine the wavelength of this standing wave. _________________m

d. Assuming that this wave moves at 2.0 meters per second, calculate its frequency and
period.

16

46
 Phenomenon #4 - Resonance

All mediums have a __________________________________ that corresponds to their atomic

structure.

• Exciting this frequency causes large ______________________ vibrations in the medium

• If the frequency is excited with enough ______________________ the medium may become
damaged or even shatter.

• If two materials have the same (or close) natural frequencies then vibrations may be passed
from one material into the other.

17

47
Standing Waves (Where Music Meets Physics!)
A standing wave is an effect of wave interference. This is a wave pattern that results when two
waves with the same amplitude and frequency are moving in opposite directions within the
same medium and interfere.

A wave with stationary crests and troughs, called a

standing wave is formed.

Standing waves have nodes and antinodes. A node

is a point in a standing wave that maintains its
equilibrium position. It is where maximum destructive
interference occurs. An antinode is a point halfway
between two nodes.

Example:

In the standing wave diagram to the left, there are 5 nodes,

4 antinodes, and 2 waves.

Label the diagram. Label each node “N”, each antinode “A”,
and denote each wavelength with an arrow labeled λ.

Resonance
All objects have a ‘natural frequency’ they like to vibrate at which depends on the shape and
material the object is made from. (For example, you can find the natural frequency of a wine
glass by ‘twanging’ it). Resonance frequency is the natural frequency that an object vibrates
at when disturbed.
When waves matching an object’s natural frequency are incident upon the object, the waves
that get absorbed end up interfering constructively with newly incident waves and standing
waves are produced inside the object. This is called resonance. Objects vibrating in
resonance have a noticeably larger amplitude than the original waves.
(Analogy: Pushing someone in a swing. If you rock back and forth in a rhythm that matches
the natural frequency of a swing, you will build up more and more energy.)
Examples of resonance: singer and wine glass, radio tuners, tuning forks, wind instruments

20

48
 Topic #3: Sound Waves

Sound Facts
• Sound is transmitted as a _______________________ wave.

• Mechanical wave so it requires ________________________________.

• Speed of sound in…

o air: _____________________________ m/s
o sea water: ________________________ m/s
o steel: ____________________________ m/s

• Amplitude of a sound wave is synonymous with

___________________________________________________________

• Frequency of a sound wave is synonymous with ________________________________

• When sound hits a hard surface and bounces off, the reflection is called an echo.

Example

a.) What is the frequency of a sound wave with a wavelength of 0.04 meter in air?

b.) What type of wave is this, transverse or longitudinal?

21

49
 Phenomenon #5 – Doppler Effect
• A source sends out waves in all directions with the same frequency and wavelength.
• How the wave is perceived by an observer depends on
______________________________ of the source and/or observer.

o Same frame of reference

o Getting closer together - __________________________

…at increasing speed - ________________________

…at decreasing speed - ________________________

o Getting farther apart - ____________________________

…at increasing speed - ________________________

…at decreasing speed - ________________________

22

50
 Examples

1.) A bat is using sound waves to locate an insect. The bat produces sounds with a frequency of
120 kilo-hertz and notes that the sound it transmits echoes back in 0.02 second.

a. What is the bat’s distance to its prey?

b. What is the wavelength of the bat’s radar?

2.) A radar station is tracking a dense section of cloud cover. If the radar station transmits energy
at a frequency of 300 megahertz and receives reflected energy from the clouds at a frequency of
150 megahertz, what can the forecasters say about the motion of the clouds?

23

51
INFORMATION:
Sound Wave Characteristics
Sound is one of the first waves studied by scientists and everyday people who have a love of
music. A vibratory disturbance in air, water, or even steel, can produce a sound wave.
• Sound cannot travel through a vacuum, it can only travel through a medium (it is a
mechanical wave). In outer space, or even on the moon, you can scream at the top of your
lungs and no one will hear you ! (You cannot hear explosions either - the movies lie!)
• Sound waves are longitudinal
Because sound is a compressional wave, it is produced by the alternating compression and
spreading out of the molecules of the medium through which it travels. It makes sense then that
sound would travel faster in mediums in which the molecules are closer together (solids). It also
travels faster in a medium whose molecules are moving faster (higher temperature). We can
calculate the speed of sound in air at a given temperature by using the equation:
vair at STP (standard temperature &
vair = 331 m/s + [(0.6 m/s)x(Temperature in °C)] pressure) is 331 m/s, and is found
on the front of your Ref. Tables.
Other characteristics of sound waves are their frequency, amplitude, and wavelength.
• The frequency of a sound wave tells us its pitch
• The amplitude of a sound wave determines the loudness
• When sound hits a hard surface and bounces off, the reflection is called an echo.

Doppler Effect
You may have noticed that when a car passes by you on the street with its horn blowing you can
hear a change in the pitch of the car horn as it passes you. It has a higher pitch as it is
approaching you and a lower pitch as it moves away from you. The Doppler Effect is a
phenomenon that occurs whenever a source of waves is in motion relative to an observer:
*If the wave source is approaching the
observer, the frequency of the waves in
increased (and therefore the wavelength is
shorter)
For sound waves this means the pitch is
higher
*If the wave source is moving away from
the observer, the frequency of the waves in
decreased (and therefore the wavelength is
longer)
For sound waves this means the pitch is lower
Applications: Police speed traps, Doppler radar for meteorology

24

52
53
54
 Chapter Topic
- Vibrations and Waves
- Sound
- Musical Sounds
1. A wiggle in time is a
A) vibration.
B) wave.
C) both
D) neither

2. A common source of wave motion is a

A) wave pattern.
B) harmonic object.
C) vibrating object.
D) region of variable high and low pressure.
E) none of these

3. Like a transverse wave, a longitudinal wave has

A) amplitude, frequency, wavelength, and speed
B) amplitude, frequency, and wavelength.
C) amplitude, wavelength, and speed.
D) wavelength, speed, and frequency.
E) amplitude, frequency, and speed.

4. In a longitudinal wave the compression and rarefaction travel in

A) the same direction.
B) opposite directions.
C) a vacuum.

5. Which of the following is not a transverse wave?

A) sound
B) light
C) radio
D) all of these
E) none of these

6. The vibrations of a transverse wave move in a direction

55
A) along the direction of wave travel.
B) at right angles to the direction of wave travel.
C) that changes with speed.

7. The vibrations of a longitudinal wave move in a direction

A) along the direction of wave travel.
B) at right angles to the direction of wave travel.
C) that changes with speed.

8. How many vibrations per second are associated with a 101-MHz radio wave?
A) less than 101,000,000
B) 101,000,000
C) more than 101,000,000

9. Radio waves travel at the speed of light, 300,000 km/s. The wavelength of a radio wave received at
100 megahertz is
A) 0.3 m.
B) 3.0 m.
C) 30 m.
D) 300 m.
E) none of these

10. The frequency of a simple pendulum depends on

A) its mass.
B) its length.
C) the acceleration due to gravity.
D) all of these
E) two of these

11. If the frequency of a certain wave is 10 hertz, its period is

A) 0.1 second.
B) 10 seconds.
C) 100 seconds.
D) None of the above choices are correct.

12. A 60-vibration-per-second wave travels 30 meters in 1 second. Its frequency is

A) 30 hertz and it travels at 60 m/s.
B) 60 hertz and it travels at 30 m/s.
C) 1800 hertz and it travels at 2 m/s.

13. An object that completes 10 vibrations in 20 seconds has a frequency of

A) 0.5 hertz.
56
B) 2 hertz.
C) 200 hertz.

14. An object that completes 20 vibrations in 10 seconds has a frequency of

A) 0.5 hertz.
B) 1 hertz.
C) 2 hertz.
D) 200 hertz.

15. An object that completes 100 vibrations in 5 seconds has a period of

A) 0.5 second.
B) 1 second.
C) 2 seconds.
D) None of the above choices are correct.

16. A weight suspended from a spring bobs up and down over a distance of 1 meter in two seconds.
Its frequency is
A) 0.5 hertz.
B) 1 hertz.
C) 2 hertz.
D) None of the above choices are correct.

17. To say that one wave is out of phase with another is to say that the waves are
A) of different amplitudes.
B) of different frequencies.
C) of different wavelengths.
D) out of step.
E) all of these

18. Wave interference occurs for

A) sound waves.
B) light waves.
C) water waves.
D) All of the above choices are correct.
E) None of the above choices are correct.

19. A standing wave occurs when

A) two waves overlap.
B) a wave reflects upon itself.
C) the speed of the wave is zero or near zero.
D) the amplitude of a wave exceeds its wavelength.

57
20. A node is a position of
A) minimum amplitude.
B) maximum amplitude.
C) half amplitude.

21. The Doppler effect is characteristic of

A) water waves.
B) sound waves.
C) light waves.
D) all of the above choices
E) none of the above choices

22. A Doppler effect occurs when a source of sound moves

A) towards you.
B) away from you.
C) either towards you or away from you.
D) in a circle around you.

23. A wave barrier is produced when a wave source moves

A) nearly as fast as the waves it produces.
B) as fast as the waves it produces.
C) faster than the waves it produces.

24. A bow wave is produced when a wave source moves

A) nearly as fast as the waves it produces.
B) as fast as the waves it produces.
C) faster than the waves it produces.

25. An observer on the ground hears a sonic boom which is created by an airplane flying at a speed
A) just below the speed of sound.
B) equal to the speed of sound.
C) greater than the speed of sound.
D) All of the above choices are true.
E) None of the above choices are true.

26. An aircraft that flies faster than the speed of sound is said to be
A) subsonic.
B) supersonic.
C) impossible.

27. As a supersonic craft increases in speed, the angle of its V-shaped shock wave becomes
A) wider.
58
B) narrower.
C) neither

28. The source of a sonic boom

A) must itself be an emitter of sound.
B) may or may not be an emitter of sound.
C) is not itself an emitter of sound.

29. A fishing-boat captain returns to port saying, "It's rough out there - the waves are 4 meters high."
He probably means that the amplitude of the waves is
A) 4 m.
B) 3 m.
C) 2 m.
D) 1 m.

30. If waves are going by at the same speed, the wave with the greatest period of oscillation is the
wave that has the greatest
A) amplitude.
B) length.
C) frequency.
D) None of the above choices are true.

31. If the waves are going by at the same frequency, the wave that has the greatest speed will have the
greatest
A) amplitude.
B) length.
C) frequency.
D) None of the above choices are true.

32. A floating leaf oscillates up and down two complete cycles each second as a water wave passes by.
What is the wave's frequency?
A) 0.5 hertz
B) 1 hertz
C) 2 hertz
D) 3 hertz
E) 6 hertz

33. A floating leaf oscillates up and down two complete cycles in one second as a water wave passes
by. The wave's wavelength is 10 meters. What is the wave's speed?
A) 2 m/s
B) 10 m/s
C) 20 m/s
59
D) 40 m/s
E) more than 40 m/s

34. A wave travels an average distance of 6 meters in one second. What is the wave's velocity?
A) less than 0.2 m/s
B) 1 m/s
C) 3 m/s
D) 6 m/s
E) more than 6 m/s

35. A wave travels an average distance of 1 meter in 1 second with a frequency of 1 hertz. Its
amplitude is
A) less than 1 meter.
B) 1 meter.
C) more than 1 meter.
D) not enough information to say

36. The frequency of the second hand on a clock is

A) 1 hertz.
B) 1/60 hertz.
C) 60 hertz.

37. The period of the second hand on a clock is

A) 1 second.
B) 1/60 second.
C) 60 seconds.
D) 3600 seconds.
E) 12 hours.

38. A Doppler effect occurs when a source of sound moves

A) toward you.
B) at right angles to you.
C) both of these
D) none of these

39. The amplitude of a particular wave is 1 meter. The top-to-bottom distance of the disturbance is
A) 0.5 m.
B) 1 m.
C) 2 m.
D) none of these

40. When a pendulum clock at sea level is taken to the top of a high mountain, it will
60
A) gain time.
B) lose time.
C) neither gain nor lose time.

41. If you double the frequency of a vibrating object, its period

A) doubles.
B) halves.
C) is quartered.

42. You dip your finger repeatedly into water and make waves. If you dip your finger more frequently,
the wavelength of the waves
A) shortens.
B) lengthens.
C) stays the same.

43. During a single period, the distance traveled by a wave is

A) one-half wavelength.
B) one wavelength.
C) two wavelengths.

44. A floating object oscillates up and down 2 complete cycles in 1 second as a water wave of
wavelength 5 meters passes by. The speed of the wave is
A) 2 m/s.
B) 5 m/s.
C) 10 m/s.
D) 15 m/s.
E) none of these

45. A wave oscillates up and down two complete cycles each second. If the wave travels an average
distance of 6 meters in one second, its wavelength is
A) 0.5 m.
B) 1 m.
C) 2 m.
D) 3 m.
E) 6 m.

46. As a train of water waves goes by, a piece of cork floating on the water bobs up and down one
complete cycle each second. The waves are 2 meters long. What is the speed of the wave?
A) 0.25 m/s
B) 0.50 m/s
C) 1.0 m/s
D) 2 m/s
61
E) 4 m/s

47. A skipper on a boat notices wave crests passing the anchor chain every 5 seconds. The skipper
estimates the distance between crests is 15 m. What is the speed of the water waves?
A) 3 m/s
B) 5 m/s
C) 15 m/s
D) not enough information given

48. A child swings to and fro on a playground swing. If the child stands rather than sits, the time for a
to-and-fro swing is
A) lengthened.
B) shortened.
C) unchanged.

49. A pendulum clock at high altitudes runs

A) fast.
B) slow.
C) normally as it does at sea level.

50. The stride of a horse depends somewhat on the pendulum-like swing of its legs. This stride would
be higher in frequency if more of the mass in its legs were concentrated
A) in the upper part, nearer the horse's body.
B) towards its feet.
C) halfway up its legs.
D) uniformly all along its legs.
E) none of these

51. A jet traveling at 1500 km/hr passes between observers A and B. In a short time a sonic boom will
be heard by
A) observer A , observer B, and the pilot of the jet.
B) observer A only.
C) observer B only.
D) observers A and B, but not the pilot.

52. The sonic boom at ground level produced by an aircraft will be reduced if the aircraft
A) is smaller, flies higher, and is more streamlined.
B) flies higher.
C) is more streamlined.
D) is smaller.
E) None of the above choices are true.
62
53. As a source of continuous sound approaches a constant speed, you will be aware of an apparent
increasing of its
A) loudness, frequency, and wavelength.
B) loudness and wavelength.
C) loudness and frequency.
D) frequency and wavelength.
E) None of the above choices are correct.

54. If at a concert, a wind blows directly from the orchestra toward you, the speed of the sound you
hear will be
A) decreased.
B) increased.
C) neither decreased nor increased.

55. At a concert the oboe is playing a long steady note as you walk away from the stage at an
accelerating velocity toward the rest room. The pitch of the sound that you hear, is
A) steady but higher than normal
B) steady but lower than normal.
C) continually decreasing.
D) continually increasing.
E) None of the above choices are correct.

56. If at a concert you run toward the orchestra, the frequency of the sound you hear will be
A) decreased.
B) increased.
C) neither decreased nor increased.

57. Two wave crests are generated at opposite ends of a long rope. Will there be an instant in which
the rope's amplitude is zero everywhere?
A) Yes, if the waves have the same amplitude
B) Yes, if the waves have different amplitudes.
C) No.

58. A common source of wave motion is

A) a harmonic object
B) a wave pattern
C) a region of changing pressure
D) a vibrating object

59. The pendulum with the greatest frequency is the pendulum with the
63
A) shortest period.
B) shortest length.
C) shortest period and the shortest length.
D) shortest amplitude.
E) greatest amplitude.

60. In a longitudinal wave the compressions and rarefactions travel

A) at right angles to the wave
B) in the same direction as the wave
C) in opposite directions

64