Chapter 16: Waves

PHY 108/202
Spring 2021
Harmonic Waves
 Harmonic Waves

Basic Models: Particles and Waves

Physicists use only a few basic models to describe the

physical world.

One such model is the particle: a point-like object with no

inner structure and with certain characteristics such as mass
and electric charge.

Another basic model is the wave .

La Ola Wave
 What is a Wave?
A wave is a traveling disturbance that transports energy but
not matter.

• Examples:
– Sound waves (air moves back & forth)
– Stadium waves (people move up & down)
– Water waves (water moves up & down)
– Light waves (what moves?)
 Mechanical Waves

•Waves that require a medium to propagate from one

point to another

•Mechanical waves can propagate because of the

interaction forces between particles of a medium

Simple Harmonic Motion and Waves
 Types of Waves
Transverse: The medium oscillates perpendicular
to the direction the wave is moving.

Longitudinal: The medium oscillates in the same

direction as the wave is moving.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd-G6KYwzvA#t=42
 Transverse Waves
In a transverse wave, the motion of particles in the medium
is perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the wave.
 Longitudinal Waves
In a longitudinal wave, the motion of particles in the
medium is along the same line as the direction of
propagation of the wave.
 Periodic Waves
A periodic wave repeats the same pattern over and over, each
repeating section transporting the energy that was used to
generate it.

Period, Frequency, Wavelength, and Amplitude

At any given point in space, a periodic wave repeats itself after a
time T called the period . The inverse of the period is
the frequency f .
 Periodic Waves

During one period T , a

periodic wave traveling at
speed v moves a distance vT .
This distance is called the
wavelength (symbol λ , the
Greek letter lambda).

The maximum displacement of any particle from its equilibrium

position is the amplitude A of the wave.
 Periodic Waves

Harmonic waves are a special kind of periodic wave in which the

disturbance is sinusoidal (either a sine or cosine function).

The intensity of a wave is proportional to the square of its amplitude.

 Mathematical Description of a Wave
A traveling wave retains the same shape as it moves in a single
direction.
 Mathematical Description of a Wave
Harmonic Traveling Waves
Speed of Waves
 Speed of Waves

For a transverse wave in a string of length L and mass m is

under tension F:

More restoring force makes faster waves; more inertia

makes slower waves.
 Wave Properties
Wavelength:
The distance λ between identical points on the wave.
Amplitude:
The maximum displacement A of a point on the wave.
Period:
The time P it takes for an element of the medium to make one complete oscillation.

Wavelength
y  A cos kx  t  λ
 
v 
P k
A
2 2 T
  2 f k String: v
P  
Speed of a mechanical wave on a string

PhET simulation:
http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/wave-on-a-string
11.3 SPEEDExample
OF TRANSVERSE
1
WAVES ON A STRING
A string of length 2.0 m has a mass of 125 mg. The
string is attached to the ceiling and a piñata of mass
4.0 kg hangs from the
other end.

A child whacks the piñata sideways with a stick; as a

result, a transverse pulse travels
up the string toward the ceiling.

At what speed does the pulse travel?

 CheckPoint
y

A x
y
B x

Waves A and B shown above are propagating in the same medium. How do
their frequencies compare?

A) ωA < ωB
B) ωA = ωB
C) ωA > ωB
 Waves and Energy Transport

Intensity (symbol I , SI unit W/m2 ) is a measure of the

average power per unit area carried by the wave past a
surface perpendicular to the wave’s direction of propagation.
 Intensity and Distance from the Wave Source

For most waves, the intensity decreases as the distance from

the source increases. Some of the energy can be absorbed
(dissipated) by the wave medium.

Another reason intensity decreases with distance is that, as

the wave spreads out, the energy gets spread over a larger
and larger area.
 Intensity and Distance from the Wave Source

WAVES AND ENERGY TRANSPORT 11.1

Inverse Square Law

(point source emitting uniformly in all directions; no

reflection or absorption)
 Example Tsunami

On December 26, 2004, a great earthquake occurred off

the coast of Sumatra and triggered immense waves
(tsunami). Satellites observing these waves from space
measured 800 km from one wave crest to the next and
a period between waves of 1.0 hour.

What was the speed of the waves in m/s and km/h ?

 Question The Wave

At a football game, the “wave” might

a) polarized wave
circulate through the stands and move
b) longitudinal wave
around the stadium. In this wave
motion, people stand up and sit down as c) lateral wave
the wave passes. What type of wave d) transverse wave
would this be characterized as? e) soliton wave
 Question The Wave

At a football game, the “wave” might

a) polarized wave
circulate through the stands and move
b) longitudinal wave
around the stadium. In this wave
motion, people stand up and sit down as c) lateral wave
the wave passes. What type of wave d) transverse wave
would this be characterized as? e) soliton wave

The people are moving up and down, and the wave is traveling
around the stadium. Thus, the motion of the wave is
perpendicular to the oscillation direction of the people, and so
this is a transverse wave.
 Question Wave Motion I
a)
Consider a wave on a string moving
to the right, as shown below. b)

What is the direction of the velocity c)

of a particle at the point labeled A d)
?
e) zero

A
 Question Wave Motion I
a)
Consider a wave on a string moving
to the right, as shown below. b)

What is the direction of the velocity c)

of a particle at the point labeled A d)
?
e) zero

The velocity of an A
oscillating particle
is (momentarily) zero
at its maximum
displacement.
 Question Wave Motion II
a)
Consider a wave on a string moving
b)
to the right, as shown below.
c)
What is the direction of the velocity
of a particle at the point labeled B ? d)

e) zero

B
 Question Wave Motion II
a)
Consider a wave on a string moving
b)
to the right, as shown below.
What is the direction of the velocity c)
of a particle at the point labeled B ?
d)

e) zero

The wave is moving

to the right, so the
particle at B has to
B
start moving upward
in the next instant of
time.
 Question Wave Speed II
A wave pulse is sent down a rope of a
certain thickness and a certain tension. A
a) speed increases
second rope made of the same material is
twice as thick, but is held at the same b) speed does not change
tension. How will the wave speed in the c) speed decreases
second rope compare to that of the first?
 Question Wave Speed II
A wave pulse is sent down a rope of a
certain thickness and a certain tension. A
a) speed increases
second rope made of the same material is
twice as thick, but is held at the same b) speed does not change
tension. How will the wave speed in the c) speed decreases
second rope compare to that of the first?

The wave speed goes inversely as the square root of the mass per
unit length, which is a measure of the inertia of the rope. So in a
thicker (more massive) rope at the same tension, the wave speed
will decrease.
 Question Wave Speed III

A length of rope L and mass M hangs from

a ceiling. If the bottom of the rope is
a) speed increases
jerked sharply, a wave pulse will travel up
b) speed does not change
the rope. As the wave travels upward,
c) speed decreases
what happens to its speed? Keep in mind
that the rope is not massless.
 Question Wave Speed III

A length of rope L and mass M hangs from

a ceiling. If the bottom of the rope is
a) speed increases
jerked sharply, a wave pulse will travel up
b) speed does not change
the rope. As the wave travels upward,
c) speed decreases
what happens to its speed? Keep in mind
that the rope is not massless.

The tension in the rope is not constant in the case of a massive

rope! The tension increases as you move up higher along the
rope, because that part of the rope has to support all of the
mass below it! Because the tension increases as you go up, so
does the wave speed.