CIE IGCSE PHYSICS NOTES
Chapter 3 Waves
3.1 General properties of waves
Page | 1
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, CIE IGCSE PHYSICS NOTES
• Which of the picture above shows a wave in action?
• Waves transfer energy between points without transferring matter
• Best way to visualize this would be to use a slinky and shake it up and down.
• You will see a wave but the rings on the slink does not actually travel with the
wave.
• Amplitude (A) is the maximum displacement from the original position.
• The SI unit for amplitude is in meters.
• Wavelength (λ) is the horizontal distance between two points that are in phase.
• The SI unit for amplitude is in meters as well.
• The period (T) is the time taken for the wave to complete a cycle or return to its
original displacement.
• The SI unit for periods is seconds.
• Frequency (f) is the number of complete cycles in a second (i.e., how many times
did the wave go up, down and up again or down, up, and down again in 1 second).
• The SI unit for frequency is hertz (Hz) OR seconds-1.
• Hence the relationship between frequency (f) and period (T) is
1
𝑓=
𝑇
Page | 2
Senpaicorner.com
Chapter 3 Waves
3.1 General properties of waves
Page | 1
Senpaicorner.com
, CIE IGCSE PHYSICS NOTES
• Which of the picture above shows a wave in action?
• Waves transfer energy between points without transferring matter
• Best way to visualize this would be to use a slinky and shake it up and down.
• You will see a wave but the rings on the slink does not actually travel with the
wave.
• Amplitude (A) is the maximum displacement from the original position.
• The SI unit for amplitude is in meters.
• Wavelength (λ) is the horizontal distance between two points that are in phase.
• The SI unit for amplitude is in meters as well.
• The period (T) is the time taken for the wave to complete a cycle or return to its
original displacement.
• The SI unit for periods is seconds.
• Frequency (f) is the number of complete cycles in a second (i.e., how many times
did the wave go up, down and up again or down, up, and down again in 1 second).
• The SI unit for frequency is hertz (Hz) OR seconds-1.
• Hence the relationship between frequency (f) and period (T) is
1
𝑓=
𝑇
Page | 2
Senpaicorner.com
