Chapter-6 Part-1

Chapter-6
Waves and Sound

Basics of Physics (Diploma Engineering)
Wave and Classification of Waves
• A wave is a vibratory disturbance in a medium which carries energy from one point to
another point without any actual movement of the medium. There are three types of
waves.
Continue…..
1.Mechanical Waves Those waves which require a material medium for their propagation,
are called mechanical waves, e.g., sound waves, water waves etc.
2.Electromagnetic Waves Those waves which do not require a material medium for their
propagation, are called electromagnetic waves, e.g., light waves, radio waves etc.
Nature of Waves
• Transverse waves A wave in which the particles of the medium vibrate perpendicular to
the direction of propagation of wave, is called a transverse wave. These waves travel in
the form of crests and troughs.
• Longitudinal waves A wave in which the particles of the medium vibrate in the same
direction in which wave is propagating, is called a longitudinal wave. These waves travel
in the form of compressions and rarefactions.
• Longitudinal waves consist of compressions and rarefactions, while transverse
waves consist of crests and troughs.
Difference Between Longitudinal and Transverse Waves
Transverse Longitudinal
The movement of the particle is The movement of the particle is
perpendicular to the direction of along the direction of the wave
wave
Consists of troughs and crests It contains refractions and

compressions
Travels only in solids. Can travel through all states of

matter.
Light waves are transverse waves. Sound waves are longitudinal

waves.
The particles are displaced The movement of particles is

perpendicular to the direction of usually parallel to the movement of
the travelling wave. energy.
• Amplitude (A) - It is defined as the maximum
displacement of an oscillating particle of the medium
from the mean position.
• Wavelength (λ) - It is defined as the distance travelled
by the wave during the time, the particle of the
medium completes one oscillation about its mean
position. Or the distance between two consecutive
points in the same phase of wave motion.
• Time period (T) - It is defined as the time taken by a
particle to complete one oscillation about its mean
position.
• Frequency (f) - It is defined as the number of
oscillations made by the particle in one second.
• Wave speed (v) - It is defined as the distance travelled
by the wave in one second. Wave speed is v = fT,
where f is the frequency and T is time period.
• Phase- The phase of a wave can be defined as the state of it which defines its position
and the direction of its motion. It tells about the initial state of the wave.
• Two particles if found in the same position having same velocities at every time instants,
then they are said to be in the same phase or in-phase and if the particles have their
displacements from the mean position and even velocity magnitude equal but are
opposite in direction, the particles are said to be out of phase.
Relation between velocity frequency and wavelength
• Superposition of waves
• If two or more waves travelling through a medium the resultant wave function at any
point is the algebraic sum of the amplitude of all the individual wave functions.
• In superposition two travelling waves can pass through each other without being altered
or without experiencing any change in their natural behavior.
Wave 1
Resulting Wave
Wave 2
Wave 1
Resulting Wave
Wave 2
• Stationary Waves
• Stationary Waves are the combination of two Waves which move in opposite directions
having the same amplitude as well as frequency.” It is also known as standing Waves.
Node and antinodes describe the position of a point on a standing wave.

NODE:
Nodes are the points that have no displacement from the equilibrium position. Amplitude is minimum at
nodes
Antinodes:
Antinodes are points of maximum displacements (at crests and toughs) from the mean position. Amplitude is
maximum at antinodes.
Resonance
Resonance is A phenomenon in which an external force or a vibrating system forces another system around it
to vibrate with greater amplitude at a specified frequency of operation.
EXAMPLE OF RESONANCE
Musical Instruments
Whenever a person hits, strikes, strums, drums or tweaks any musical instrument, the instrument is set into
oscillation or vibration at the natural frequency of vibration of the instrument. A unique standing wave pattern
defines each frequency of vibration as a specific instrument. These natural frequencies of a musical instrument
are known widely as the harmonics of the specified instrument. Suppose a second interconnected object or
instrument vibrates or oscillates at that specified frequency. In that case, the first object can be forced to vibrate at
a frequency higher than its natural harmonic frequency. This phenomenon is known as resonance, i.e. one object
vibrating or oscillating at the natural frequency of another object forces the other object to vibrate at a frequency
higher than its natural frequency.
Swing
The swing moves forward and backwards when pushed. If a series of regular pushes are given to the swing, its
motion can be built. The person pushing the swing has to sync with the swing’s timing, which results in the swing’s
motion having increased amplitude to reach higher. Once the swing reaches its natural oscillation frequency, a
gentle push helps maintain its amplitude due to resonance. But, if the push given is irregular, the swing will hardly
vibrate, and this out-of-sync motion will never lead to resonance, and the swing will not go higher.
Bridge
Group of soldiers marching on the bridge are often asked to break their steps because their rhythmic marching
can set extreme vibrations at the bridge’s natural frequency. The bridge can break apart if the synchronized
footsteps resonate with the natural frequency of the bridge. One of the examples of the above is the Tacoma
Bridge Collapse, where the frequency of the air matched with the frequency of the bridge, which then led to its
destruction.
Continue…..
• speed of sound, speed at which sound waves propagate through different materials. In
particular, for dry air at a temperature of 0 °C (32 °F), the modern value for the speed of
sound is 331.29 metres (1,086.9 feet) per second.
• Equation of speed of sound

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Chapter-6

Waves and Sound

Consists of troughs and crests It contains refractions and

Travels only in solids. Can travel through all states of

Light waves are transverse waves. Sound waves are longitudinal

The particles are displaced The movement of particles is

Node and antinodes describe the position of a point on a standing wave.

• Equation of speed of sound

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