Topic: Class Notes Wave Properties - Dec. 4 &7, 2009

• Topic: Wave Properties
  
  
  Notes
  
  Amplitude:
  


• of a transverse wave is one-half the distance between a crest and a trough.
  


• of a compression wave is greater when the particles of the medium are squeezed closer together in each compression and spread farther apart in each rarefaction.
  


• the greater the amplitude the greater the energy.
  Example: tsunami and hurricane waves
  
  
  
  Wavelength:
  


• of a transverse wave is the distance from the top of one crest to the top of the next crest, or from the bottom of one trough to the next.
  


• of a compressional wave is the distance from the center of a compression and the center of the next or from the center of one rarefaction to the center of the next.
  
  
  
  Frequency:
  


• of a wave is the number of wavelengths that pass a given point in 1second.
  the unit of frequency is the number of wavelengths per second, or hertz (Hz).
  the faster the vibration the higher the frequency.
  
  
  
  Graphing waves
  Frequency and wavelength are related.
  


• longer wavelengths result in smaller frequencies.
  


• larger frequencies results in shorter wavelengths.
  
  
  
  
  Speed of waves:
  


• mechanical waves travel faster in medium in which the atoms are closer (solid, liquid, gas)
  


• electromagnetic waves travel faster through gasses than in solids and liquids.
  
  
  
  *****Light waves travel much faster than sound waves.