Longitudinal

Oscillation parallel to direction of wave travel

sound
spring
earthquake P-waves

rarefaction compression

oscillation wave travel

 longitudinal density (pressure) wave in any medium
compression / expansion of the medium

 produced by oscillations in the medium

frequency of vibration  frequency of sound
 v

Medium
Particles of medium

Longitudinal Waves
vibration of a drumhead:
compression
rarefaction

Air density as a
function of position.
This pressure wave
moves (propagates)
away from the source
 Transverse
Oscillation perpendicular to direction of wave travel

radio / light
string
earthquake S-waves

oscillation
wave travel
Transverse wave

Longitudinal wave
 v
Medium

Particles of medium
v

Transverse Waves
 Waves transport energy, not matter.

Each segment of string stays in the same

place, but work done on string at one end is
transmitted to the other end.
work is done lifting suspended mass
 Waves can transport energy!

Loud
speaker
C
a
n
d
l
e
The height of a wave is the
AMPLITUDE

The ENERGY in a wave is

proportional to the SQUARE
OF THE AMPLITUDE
A plane wave. The planes represent
wavefronts spaced one wavelength
apart, and the arrows represent rays
 A spherical wave

r
1 1
Amplitude  Power  2
r r
Spherically sound waves are emitted
uniformly in all directions from a point
source, the radiated power P being
25 W. What are the intensity and the
sound level of the sound waves a
distance r = 2.5 m from the source?
 r2

r1
Let P be the radiated power
4 r I  P1
2
1 1

4 r I  P2
2
2 2

But P1  P2  P
2
I1 r
  2
2
I2 r 1
 P = 25 W, r = 2.5 m

P 2
I= 2
=.32 W/m
4πr
I
SL  10 log  115dB
I0
If the displacement y is
not zero at x  0 at t  0 then,
y  x, t   ym sin  kx  t   
kx  t   is called the phase.
 is called the phase constant.
The phase constant only moves the wave
forward or backward in space or time:
   
y  x, t   ym sin  k  x    t 
  k 
   
y  x, t   ym sin  kx    t   
   
y y  ym sin  kx  t 
 /k

y  ym sin  kx  t   
y
 / y  ym sin  kx  t 

y  ym sin  kx  t   
y  x, t   y1  x, t   y2  x, t 

When two sources are present the

total amplitude at any point is the
sum of the two separate amplitudes.
A = A1  A 2

Power  A =  A1  A 2 
2 2
x

x
 y1  x, t   ym sin  kx  t  1 
y2  x, t   ym sin  kx  t  2 
y  x, t   y1  x, t   y2  x, t 
 ym sin  kx  t  1   sin  kx  t  2  
 1
sin B  sin C  2sin  B  C   cos  B  C 
2
y  x, t   ym sin  kx  t  1   sin  kx  t  2  
    
  2 ym cos     sin  kx  t    
  2 
  2  1

 
 1  2 
2
For constructive interference,

 0,  , 2 , 
2
y Constructive

y1  y2
y2
y1
x
For destructive interference,
  3
 , , 
2 2 2
y Destructive

y2
y1 y1  y2
x
 1 1 3
t 0 t T t T t T t T
4 2 4
Two speakers, which are separated
by a distance D of 2.3 m, emit a
pure tone. The waves are in phase
when they leave the speakers. For
what wavelengths will the listener
hear a minimum in the sound
intensity?
 D  2.3m

x1

x2  1.2m

x1  x  D  2.6m
2
2
2
x1  x  D  2.6m
2
2
2

x1  x2  1.4m
  
1.4m  ,3 ,5 , 
2 2 2
  2.8m, 0.93m, 0.56m, 
Vibrator

x
W
y1  x, t   ym sin  kx  t 
y2  x, t   ym sin  kx  t 
y  x, t   y1  x, t   y2  x, t 

 ym sin  kx  t   sin  kx  t  
  2 ym sin kx  cos t
y  x, t    2 ym sin kx  cos t
( remember that k  2 /  !)
kx   , 2 ,3 , 
 3
x  ,  , , 
2 2
p1  t   p0 sin 1t
p2  t   p0 sin 2t

p  t   p1  t   p2  t 
 p0  sin 1t  sin 2t 
  1  2    1  2 
  2 p0 cos   t  sin  t
  2    2 
 1  2

2
1  2
diff 
2
p  t    2pm cos diff t  sin  t
beat  2diff  1  2
p1  t 

p2  t 

p  t 

Time
Compressional zone

B
v  speed of sound

 Medium Speed (m/s)
Gases
Air (00C) 331
Helium . 965

 
Hydrogen 1284
Liquids                          

Water (00C) 1402

Solids
Aluminum 6420
Steel 5941
 p  p, v  v
Moving Fluid
p, v element

Compressional zone
x

B
v  speed of sound

At time t  0,
y  x, 0   f  x 
At time t ,
y  x, t   f  x   f  x  vt 
where, x  x  vt
y
t 0
P
yP f  x

O x
y y Time t
vt
P
f  x 

O O x
vt
x  vt  constant
dx
v0
dt
dx
v
dt
phase velocity, independent
of any property of the wave
y t0

x
y
at a later time t

x
vt 
vs
vst
S S
Projectile fired from gun at Mach 2
vt 
vs
vst
S S
If v s > v then,
v
sin  
vs