Summary Chapter 3: Waves

Section 3:
-Waves

A progressive wave (moving wave) carries energy from one place to
another without transferring any material. A wave is caused by
something making particles or fields oscillate at a source. These
oscillations pass through the medium as the wave travels, carrying Diffracted wave
energy with it.

A wave transfers energy away from its source – hence the source of the
wave loses energy.

Quantities for waves

 Displacement, measured in meters

How far a point on the wave has moved from its undisturbed position.
Refracted wave
 Amplitude, measured in meters

The amplitude is the maximum magnitude of the displacement, the
distance from the undisturbed point to the crest, or trough.

 Wavelength, measured in meters

The length of one whole wave oscillation or wave cycle, the distance
between two crests of a wave.

 Period, measured in seconds
Reflected waves
The time taken for one whole wave cycle.

 Frequency, measured in Hz

The number of whole wave cycles passing a given point per second

 Phase

A measurement of the position of a certain point along the wave
cycle.

 Phase difference

The amount of which one wave lags behind another one, the
difference between two corresponding points on a wave. The
phase difference can be measured in angles (degrees or radians)
or in fractions of a cycle.