GENERAL PROPERTIES

OF
WAVES
WAVE
A wave is a phenomenon, in which energy is transferred through vibrations.
Properties:
The source of any wave is vibration
Waves transfer energy from one point to another.
In waves, energy is transferred without the medium being transferred.
Explanation
When stone is thrown into a pond of water, it creates disturbance in the water and due to
this activity ripples will be created in water.
The movement of ripples is outwards from the stone shows that energy will be
transmitted from stone to water through these ripples.
The mass of water and stone will remain constant.

WAVE MOTION:
Wave motion is the propagation of oscillatory movement or disturbance from
one region to another.
WAVES ARE DIVIDED INTO TYPES :
TRANSVERSE WAVES

LONGITUDINAL WAVES
TRANSVERSE WAVE

A transverse wave is a wave in which the vibrations of the

particles are perpendicular to the direction of travel of the
wave.
Transverse wave can be illustrated by vibrating springs as shows below.
• To produce transverse wave by using spring one student can hold spring
while another student can move spring left and right as shown below. So
the vibration of the spring is perpendicular to the direction of wave travels.
• Examples of transverse wave: water wave and all the electromagnetic waves.
A Transverse wave consist to two regions

Crest:

The highest point reached by a vibrating particle in a transverse wave is called

crest.

Trough:
The lowest point reached by a vibrating particle in a transverse wave is called
trough.
LONGITUDINAL WAVE

A longitudinal wave is a wave in which the vibrations of the

particles are parallel to the direction of travel of the wave.

Longitudinal wave can be illustrated by vibrating springs as shows below.

• To produce longitudinal wave by using spring, one student can

holdspring while another student can move spring forward and

backward as shown below. So the vibration of the spring is parallel to
the direction of wave travels.
• Example of longitudinal wave: Sound waves.
A Longitudinal wave consist to two regions

Compression
Compression is the region where the particles are close together and has high
pressure.

Rarefaction
Rarefaction is the region where the particles are further apart and has low
pressure.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRANSVERSE AND LONGITUDINAL WAVES
TRANSVERSE WAVES LONGITUDINAL WAVES
 Transverse waves consist of crest and  Longitudinal waves consist of
trough. One wave contains one crest Compressions and rarefactions.
and one trough.  They need Medium to travel.
 They can travel through solid, liquid,
gases and even in vacuum.
 Energy transfer parallel to vibration
 Energy transfer perpendicular to
of particles.
vibration of particles.
 Examples:
 Example:
Sound waves
Water Waves
 SIMILIARITIES BETWEEN TRANSVERSE AND
LONGITUDINAL WAVES

 Both transfer Energy without transferring the matter

 Both requires Vibrations
 Both have Amplitude, Wave Length, Time Period, Frequency and
Wave Speed.
 Both obey the equation V = f λ
TERMS USED TO DESCRIBE A WAVE

DISPLACEMENT-DISTANCE GRAPH:

DISPLACEMENT-TIME GRAPH:
CHARACTERISTICS OF A WAVE
1. AMPLITUDE:
Transverse longitudinal

Diagramatically:
2. WAVE LENGTH:
Transverse longitudinal

Diagramatically:
3. FREQUENCY:

Formula:

Diagramatically:
4. TIME PERIOD:

Diagramatically:
5. WAVE SPEED:

Formula:

TRICK TO REMEMBER:
 6. WAVE PHASE:
The points on the wave are in phase if they are at the same displacement,
and have same speed and direction.

In phase:
Points like A and A‘ on the graph above are in phase with each other.

Out of phase/anti-phase:
Points like A and B on the graph above are out of phase with each other
PREDICTION OF NEW POSITION OF THE PARTICLES ON A WAVE:
7. WAVE FRONT:
It is the imaginary line on a wave that joins all points that are in same phase. It is
usually drawn by joining down all the crests.

There are two types of wavefronts

a) Plane wavefront (straight wavefronts far from point source of disturbance
b) Circular wavefront (close to point source of disturbance)

Plane wavefront Circular wavefront

8. REFLECTION OF A WAVE:
When a wave strikes an obstacle or comes to the end of the medium it is
traveling in, some part of the wave is bounce back into the original medium. This
phenomenon is called the Reflection of a wave.

CHRACTERISTICS OF A REFLECTED WAVE:

TO DRAW THE DIAGRAM OF REFLECTED WAVE
 When drawing wave diagrams, it is easier to draw wave fronts rather
than crests and troughs.
 Each wavefronts is drawn at right angles to the wave direction.
 The distance between two wave fronts is the wavelength of the wave λ
 Waves, such as water waves, obey the law of reflection that states:
 angle of incidence i = angle of reflection r
 The angles of incidence, i, and angle of reflection, r, are measured between
the wave direction and the normal – a construction line drawn at 90° to the
barrier.
1. When incident wave is parallel with the normal:

2. When incident wave is at an angle with the normal:

9. REFRACTION OF A WAVE:

Figure show the surfer approaching the beach. As the waves enter the shallow water near
the beach, the wavelength of the wave decreases. Hence the speed of the waves
decreases as the water gets shallower.

• Refraction of waves is a phenomenon that occurs when there is a change of

direction in the propagation of waves travelling from one medium to another due to a
change of speed.
• The refraction of water occurs when water waves travel from one area to another area
of different depths. Hence, the different depth of water is equivalent to a different
medium.
CHRACTERISTICS OF A RERACTED WAVE:

TRICK TO REMEMBER:
FAST is a useful way of remembering the speed and direction changes of waves during
refraction:
If waves get Faster, they bend Away from the normal.
If waves get Slower, they bend Towards the normal.
DIAGRAMS OF REFRACTED WAVE

1. When incident wave is parallel with the normal:

If waves are incident along the normal when passing from one medium to
another, their speed and wavelength change but their direction does not change.

a) Deep to shallow water b) Shallow to deep water

DIAGRAMS OF REFRACTED WAVE

2. When incident wave is at an angle with the normal:

a) Deep to shallow water

 When water waves pass from deep to shallow water they slow down
because friction with the ripple tank base or seabed has greater impact in the
shallow water.
 As the waves slow down the waves bend towards the normal.
 The frequency of the waves does not change because the source of the
waves continues to vibrate at the same frequency.
 Since v = f λ
 If the speed, v, decreases and the frequency, f, remains unchanged, then
the wavelength, λ, must also decrease.
 λshallow is shorter than λ deep
DIAGRAMS OF REFRACTED WAVE

2. When incident wave is at an angle with the normal:

a) Deep to shallow water

DIAGRAMS OF REFRACTED WAVE

2. When incident wave is at an angle with the normal:

b) Shallow to deep water

 When water waves pass from shallow to deep water they speed up,
consequently the waves bend away from the normal.
 The frequency of the waves does not change because the source of the
waves continues to vibrate at the same frequency.
 Since v = f λ
 If the speed, v, increases and the frequency, f, remains unchanged, then
the wavelength, λ, must also increase.
 λshallow is shorter than λ deep
DIAGRAMS OF REFRACTED WAVE

2. When incident wave is at an angle with the normal:

b) Shallow to deep water

REFLECTION VS REFRACTION
RIPPLE TANK:
The ripple tank is used to study water waves in laboratories.

The parts used in ripple tank are:

• Power supply : Generate electricity to the motor.
• Motor : Moves the dipper in and out of water.
• Wooden Rod (Dipper) : An object used to create water waves in the tank. It can be any
shape, length and width
• Tank : Water is poured inside here.
To study the water waves, a white screen (i.e. a piece of paper) is placed under the
tank. A light source is placed above the ripple tank to illuminate the water waves.
RIPPLE TANK:

a) To study reflection of water waves:

Place a straight barrier upright in water and produce water waves with vibrator.
The reflected waves can be observed on a white paper.
RIPPLE TANK:

a) To study refraction of water waves:

Make water shallow by keeping the glass block inside water. The refracted waves
can be observed on a white paper.