UNIT 2 PHYSICS REVISION- WAVES

Waves transfer ENERGY, not matter

Longitudinal waves: oscillation is

parallel to direction of propagation
(energy transfer)

Transverse waves: the vibration is

perpendicular to direction of
propagation.
Electromagnetic waves are all
examples of transverse waves.
Frequency = 1/T. Measured in hz.
Medium = what the wave is travelling
through.

V=fx
Progressive waves = waves that move
Phase = how much out of sync two points on a wave are, measured in
radians or degrees
To calculate phase difference between particles in a progressive wave:

= 2d/
Transverse waves can be polarised as they vibrate in more than one plane.
However longitudinal waves cannot be polarised. This idea can be extended in
the idea of white light being polarised, and application to polarised sunglasses.
Waves can behave in different ways:
REFLECTION;
REFRACTION;
DIFFRACTION; The narrower the gap = more waves spread out/diffract. The
longer the wavelength = more the waves spread out/diffract.
(more information in my Optics notes)

Superposition:

When two waves meet, the

total displacement at a point is
equal to the sum of the
individual displacements at that
point.
When waves reinforce each
other, this is CONSTRUCTIVE
INTERFERENCE
When waves cancel each other,
this is DESTRUCTIVE
INTERFERENCE.
The level of interference is to
do with the phase relationship between the two waves, to determine points of
intersection. For example, if in anti-phase with similar amplitude then they will
cancel out.
Example of a superposition: Stationary waves
The formation of stationary waves is when two progressive waves of the same
frequency are travelling in opposite
directions. Points of constant
cancellation are nodes, and these
are when the two waves are always
out of phase (180degrees). These
two waves are COHERENT as they
vibrate at same frequency and have
a constant phase difference so
producing an interference pattern
with constant points of cancellation
(NODES) and reinforcement
(ANTINODES). No energy is
transferred in a stationary wave.
(Minimums at nodes cold spots in microwaves and maximums at antinodes
hot spots in microwaves)
In any stationary wave pattern:
-

Amplitude varies with position from zero at a node to maximum amplitude

at an antinode. Not all points will reach maximum amplitude.
Phase difference between two nodes is in phase (stars), either side of a
node are in antiphase (lightning bolts)

Applying Stationary Waves:

Harmonics of a instrument string is correspondent to the number of antinodes
and nodes on the string.
The pitch of a note corresponds to frequency. Pitch is altered from a stretched
string by applying tension.