Wave Motion

INTRODUCTION
The process by which a disturbance at o
ne point in space is propagated to anothe
r point more remote from the source with
no net transport of the material of the me
dium itself. For example, sound is a form
of wave motion; wind is not. Wavemotion
can occur only in a medium in which ener
gy can be stored in both kinetic and pote
ntial form. In a mechanicalmedium, kineti
c energy results from inertia and is stored
in the velocity of the molecules, while pot
ential energy results fromelasticity and is
stored in the displacement of the molecul
es.
Motion of Waves
• 1 An oscillating or vibrating motion in which a point
or body moves back and forth along a line about a
fixed central point produces waves.
• 2. Examples of waves:
• (a) Light waves are produced as a result of vibrations
of electrons in an atom.
• (b)Sound waves are produced by vibrating mechanical
bodies such as guitar strings or a tuning fork.
• (c) Water waves are produced by disturbance (or
vibration) on a still water surface.
Propagation (Traveling) of Waves
• 1.When a wave travels through a medium, the particles of
the medium vibrate about their equilibrium positions.
• 2.However, the particles of the medium do not travel in the
direction of the wave.
• 3 A wave transfers energy and the momentum from the

source of the wave (the oscillating or vibrating system) to the
surroundings.
• Activity 1.1: To demonstrate that waves transfer energy

without transferring matter
• Apparatus:
• Radio, candle and matches.
• Procedure
• 3. Then, the radio is turned on and the volume of the sound
is gradually increased until a change in the movement of the
flame becomes noticeable.
• Discussion
• 2. This observation shows that the propagation of the sound
waves from the vibration of the cone of the speaker transfers
energy (or momentum) to the flame and causes it to vibrate.
•
• Conclusion
• Waves transfer energy from a vibrating system without
transferring matter.
Wavefronts
• 1. A wave front is a line or plane on which the
vibrations of every points on it are in phase and are at
the same distance from the source of the wave.
Same
Phase
• 2 . Points in a wave are in phase if they vibrate in the

same direction with the same displacement.
Same
displacement
Plane Wave fronts

• 1 . Figure 1.3 shows the production of plane water
waves when a wooden bar vibrates vertically at a
constant frequency on the surface of the water.
•
2. Lines PQ, RS, TU and VW are straight lines along
the respective crests of the waves. These lines are
called wave fronts.
Types of Waves
• There are two types of waves.
• (a) Transverse wave
• (b) Longitudinal wave
Transverse Waves
• 1. A transverse wave is a wave in which the vibration of
particles in the medium is at right angle (perpendicular) to
the direction of propagation of the wave.
• 2. A model
of a transverse wave can be produced by a slinky spring as
shown in Figure 1.6.
Longitudinal Waves
• 1. A longitudinal wave is a wave in which the
vibration of particles in the medium is parallel to the
direction of propagation of the wave.
• 2. When the slinky spring is vibrated back and forth
along the direction of propagation of the wave at a
fixed rate, a longitudinal wave is produced as shown in
Figure 1.8.
• 3 . Example of longitudinal waves is sound waves.
Amplitude, Period and Frequency of a Wave
1 . The amplitude, A, of a vibrating system is

maximum displacement from its equilibrium position.
It is a measure of height of the wave crest or depth of
the wave trough.
Amplitude
• 2 . In Figures 1.9 (a) and (b), the distance OQ is the

amplitude, where O is the equilibrium position of the
vibrating system.
•
3
. The period, T, of a vibrating system is the time
taken to complete an oscillation.
• Period
4. In the two vibrating (oscillating) systems show in

Figure 1.9, a complete oscillation are:
• (a) from P à Q à P or Q à Pà Q,
• (b) from OàPàQàO or
OàQàPàO
• 5. If a vibrating system makes n complete oscillations
in a time of t seconds, the period of oscillation, T of the
system is second
• The SI unit of period is second.

• 6 The frequency, f, is the number of complete
oscillations made by a vibrating system in one second.
• The unit of frequency is hertz (Hz) or s-1.
• 7 From the formulae of T and f, the relationship

between period, T and frequency, f is:
• T is inversely proportional to f and vice versa.

• Example 1:
• In an experiment, Aziz observes that a simple
pendulum completes 30 oscillations in 48.0 seconds.
What is
• (a) the period of oscillation?
• (b) the frequency of oscillation?
• Example 1:
• Solution
period,T=
time taken
number of completed oscllation
(a)
Displacement-time Graph of a Wave

• 1. The sinusoidal graph in Figure 1.10 is a graph of
displacement, s against time, t of a load on a spring.
• 2
From the graph of s against t in Figure 1.10, the
=
48 . 0
30
=1. 6 s
following information is obtained.

• (a) Amplitude, A = a cm
• (b) Period of oscillation, T is the time between points:
• (i) O and F, (ii) C and G or (iii) P and Q.
• Example 2:
• Figure 1.11 shows the displacement-time graph of the
oscillation of a mass on a spring.
• Figure
• Example 2:
• From the graph,
• (a) state the amplitude,
• (b) calculate the period of the oscillation,
• (c) calculate the frequency of the oscillation.
Displacement-distance Graph of a Wave
C:Compression
• 2. The displacement, s of each particle of the medium at different
distances can be shown in a displacement-distance graph as shown
in Figure 1.12 (c).
• (b) the distance between two successive compressions or two

successive rarefactions in a sound wave.
The SI unit of wavelength, l , is metre (m).
Relationship between Speed (v), wavelength, l and Frequency (f)
• The relationship between speed, wavelength and frequency
can be obtained by relating the SI unit of the quantities.
• Example 1:
v =fλ
• A wave of frequency 120 Hz has a wavelength of 5.0 m. What
is the speed of the wave?
• Solution
f = 120 Hz and l =5.0m
Speed of wave,
v=fl
= 120 x 5
= 600 m s-1
BIBILOGRAPHY
 PHYSICS PRACTICAL MANUAL

 WWW.SCRIBD.COM
 WWW.GOOGLE.COM
 ICBSE.COM
INDEX
1. Introduction
2.Motion of waves
3.Propagation (Traveling) of Waves
4.Wave Front
5.Plane Wave Front
6.Types of Waves
7.Longitudinal Waves
8.Amplitude, Period and Frequency of a wave
9.Displacement-Time Graph of a Wave
10.Displacement-Distance Graph of a Wave
11.Relation between Speed (v), Wavelength, l and
Frequency (f)
12.Bibliography

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INTRODUCTION

• 3 A wave transfers energy and the momentum from the

• Activity 1.1: To demonstrate that waves transfer energy

• 2 . Points in a wave are in phase if they vibrate in the

Plane Wave fronts

• 3 . Example of longitudinal waves is sound waves.

Amplitude, Period and Frequency of a Wave

1 . The amplitude, A, of a vibrating system is

• 2 . In Figures 1.9 (a) and (b), the distance OQ is the

4. In the two vibrating (oscillating) systems show in

• The SI unit of period is second.

• The unit of frequency is hertz (Hz) or s-1.

• 7 From the formulae of T and f, the relationship

• T is inversely proportional to f and vice versa.

Displacement-time Graph of a Wave

following information is obtained.

• (b) the distance between two successive compressions or two

 PHYSICS PRACTICAL MANUAL

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