1/1/2024

Biophysics II
Lecture 1

Dr/ Mohamed Ismail

 Waves
Wave is a disturbance that carries energy from place to place.

Transverse

Mechanical

Longitudinal
Waves

Electromagnetic Transverse

Mechanical Waves
A material medium is necessary for the transmission of mechanical
waves. Mechanical waves cannot travel through vacuum.
Water, sound waves, etc.
According to the direction of vibration, waves are also classified into :
1. Transverse waves.

2. Longitudinal waves.
Transverse Waves: (Perpendicular)
 The waveform appears in the shape of sine curve.

 A wave in which the motions of the matter particles are

perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the wave itself.

 Example: water

Parts of transverse waves:

1. Crest: the highest point of the wave

2. Trough: the lowest point of the wave

Longitudinal Waves: (Parallel)

Waves in which the medium moves back and forth in the same direction
as the wave. (Parallel).
Sound
Parts of Longitudinal waves:
1. Compression: where the particles are close together

2. Refraction: where the particles are spread apart

Electromagnetic Waves
 Material medium is not essential for propagation.
 travel through vacuum.
 Disturbance of electric and magnetic fields travelling through
space.
 All electromagnetic waves are transverse waves.

Wave Properties
A wave is usually described by
the following terms :
1. Amplitude
2. Wavelength (λ)
3. Frequency (f )
4. Period (T)
5. Wave velocity(V)
The wavelength (λ) is the minimum distance between two points
which are in phase (between two crest or two trough)
Unit : meter
The amplitude is the maximum displacement of the medium from
its equilibrium position (axis line).
Unit : meter
The frequency (ƒ) is the number of complete oscillations (waves)
made in one second.
Unit : Hz
The period (T) is the time taken for one complete oscillation. It is
related to frequency by
T=1/ƒ
Unit : s
The wave velocity (V) is the displacement traveled by the wave in
one second. It is related to frequency and wavelength by v = ƒ λ

Compare between main types of waves?

Mechanical waves Electromagnetic waves
Medium Require material Travel through vacuum
Types Transverse (definition) Transverse
or longitudinal
(definition)
Example Sound , Water Visible light
 Problems
1. A travelling wave of wavelength 0.6m moves at a speed of 3.0 m/s.
What is the period of this wave ?

2. Five pulses are generated every 0.1 S in a tank of water, what is the
speed of propagation of the wave. If the wavelength of the surface
wave is 1.2 cm.

3. A transverse wave is observed to be moving along a lengthy rope.

Adjacent crests are positioned 2.4 m apart. Exactly six waves are
observed to move past a given point along the medium in 9.1
seconds.

Common Characteristics of Waves

1. Reflection
2. Refraction
3. Diffraction
4. Interference
1. Reflection

 when a wave strikes an object and bounces off

 When a wave bounces off a surface that is cannot pass through
 2. Refraction

 The bending of a wave as it enters a new medium at an angle.

3. Diffraction

 The bending of waves AROUND an object.

 When a travelling water wave hits an obstacle, the wave fronts
spread out round the edge and becomes curved.
This phenomenon refers to diffraction.
 4. Interference

 When two or more waves propagating in the same medium meet at

the same point, interference is said to occur.

Problems

1. A marine weather station detects wave which are 9.28 meters long
and 1.65 meters high and travel a distance of 50.0 meters in 21.8
seconds. Determine the speed and the frequency of these waves.

2. A rope is held tightly and shook until the standing wave pattern
shown in the diagram at the right is established within the rope.
The distance A in the diagram is 3.27 meters. The speed at which
waves move along the rope is 2.62 m/s.
a. Determine the frequency of the waves creating the standing
wave pattern.
b. Determine the number of vibrational cycles which would be
measured in 20.0 seconds.
3. A wave with a frequency of 12.3 Hz is traveling from left to right
across a rope as shown in the diagram at the right Positions A and
B in the diagram are separated by a horizontal distance of 42.8 cm.
Positions C and D in the diagram are separated by a vertical
distance of 12.4 cm. Determine the amplitude, wavelength, period
and speed of this wave.

4. Transverse waves are observed to be moving along a lengthy rope.

Adjacent crests are positioned 2.4 m apart .exactly 3 waves are
observed to move past a given point along the medium in 9.1
seconds . Determine the wavelength, frequency, and speed of wave