P6 Waves
Transverse and Longitudinal Waves
All waves transfer energy from one place to another without a permanent motion of the material which
the wave is travelling through
Transverse Waves
Oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer
Don’t require a medium to travel through
Examples: electromagnetic waves, ripples and waves on a string
Longitudinal Waves
Oscillations are parallel to the direction of energy transfer
They have compressions (when the particles are close together) and rarefactions (more spaced out)
Requires a medium to travel in
Examples: shock waves (s waves), sound waves
Properties of Waves
Amplitude: The maximum displacement of a
point on a wave away from its undisturbed
position.
Wavelength: The distance from a point on one
wave to the equivalent point on the adjacent
wave
Frequency: The number of waves passing a
point each second measured in Hz
Wave speed: the speed at which the energy is transferred through the
medium
calculations
Period of a wave: the amount of time it takes for a full
cycle of a wave (given equation in exam)
Wave speed:
Experiments with Waves What you need:
Measuring speed of sound 2 microphones
Speaker and signal
1. Set put the oscilloscope so the detected waves at each microphone are generator
shown as separate waves. oscilloscope
2. Start with both microphones next to the speaker then slowly move one away until the two waves
are aligned on the display but have moved exactly 1 wavelength apart
3. Measure the distance between the microphones to find
one wavelength
4. Use the wave equation to find the speed of the waves,
the speed of sound is 330m/s so the results should agree
Transverse and Longitudinal Waves
All waves transfer energy from one place to another without a permanent motion of the material which
the wave is travelling through
Transverse Waves
Oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer
Don’t require a medium to travel through
Examples: electromagnetic waves, ripples and waves on a string
Longitudinal Waves
Oscillations are parallel to the direction of energy transfer
They have compressions (when the particles are close together) and rarefactions (more spaced out)
Requires a medium to travel in
Examples: shock waves (s waves), sound waves
Properties of Waves
Amplitude: The maximum displacement of a
point on a wave away from its undisturbed
position.
Wavelength: The distance from a point on one
wave to the equivalent point on the adjacent
wave
Frequency: The number of waves passing a
point each second measured in Hz
Wave speed: the speed at which the energy is transferred through the
medium
calculations
Period of a wave: the amount of time it takes for a full
cycle of a wave (given equation in exam)
Wave speed:
Experiments with Waves What you need:
Measuring speed of sound 2 microphones
Speaker and signal
1. Set put the oscilloscope so the detected waves at each microphone are generator
shown as separate waves. oscilloscope
2. Start with both microphones next to the speaker then slowly move one away until the two waves
are aligned on the display but have moved exactly 1 wavelength apart
3. Measure the distance between the microphones to find
one wavelength
4. Use the wave equation to find the speed of the waves,
the speed of sound is 330m/s so the results should agree
