1.

0 WAVES
1.1 UNDERSTANDING WAVES

WAVES
Cause by vibrations or oscillations.
Transport energy without permanently
displacing the medium.
Can either be a Mechanical waves which
require a medium to travel eg. Sound wave
or Electromagnetic waves which do not
require a medium to travel.
There are two types of waves:

Transverse Waves: Longitudinal Waves:

The vibration of the particles of the
medium is perpendicular (up and
down ) to the motion of the wave.
eg. Water waves, light waves,rope
waves and waves on springs.
(MC,MG 1-1)
The vibration of the particles of the
medium is along the same direction
(parallel) as the motion of the wave.
eg.Waves on springs and sound
waves.

Direction of
oscillations

Direction of wave
Direction of oscillations
Direction of wave
Oscillations are at
right angles to In longitudinal
direction of motion waves,particles oscillate
along line of wave

Push

C C C C

Right

Crest (puncak) R R R
Direction
of
Pull
vibration
Direction of wave motion of a slinky.
Trough (lembangan)

Direction of wave motion of a slinky C- Compression,

Left
R- Rarefactions

Date: …………………… Suhaimi 1

 WAVEFRONTS
An imaginary line representing all the points of a wave that are in the same phase.
For example a wavefront can be drawn by joining all the crests of a wave.
The direction of wave travel is always perpendicular to the wavefront.
Figures below show how circular wavefronts and plane wavefronts are produced.

Circular Wavefronts Plane Wavefronts

(MC,MG 1-2)

Oscillations of
Upwards A loaded spring and a pendulum

X Y Z
Downwards

Graph below shows the

displacement of the above rope
along its length at a certain instant of
time.

Date: …………………… Suhaimi 2

 Crest Crest
Displacement/m
λ
+A

Amplitude A

Distance/m
Amplitude -A

-B
Trough

Term Symbol Explanations

Amplitude a The maximum displacement of the oscillator from its equilibrium position.
Distance between any two successive wave crests,troughs or points
Wavelength λ which are in phase.

Crests and - High points and low points that characterize transverse waves only.
troughs

DISPLACEMENT-TIME GRAPH

Displacement/m
T
Q
+a

a Q P
Mean R
Time/s
Position R R

Positive
T displacement
P
-a
Negative
displacement

Term Symbol Unit Explanation

Period T Second(s) The time required for one complete cycle.
Frequency f Hertz(Hz) The number of complete cycles per second

1 1
f= and T=
T f

Date: …………………… Suhaimi 3

 Displacement
DISPLACEMENT – DISTANCE GRAPH

Amplitud

Amplitud

Distance
λ

In one period (T), a crest will have moved a distance of one wavelength (λ).
Therefore the speed of the wave, v is given by:
λ 1
V= (but = f)
T T
λ
Therefore Wave velocity V=
Worked example 1: T

0.3m
The above figure shows waves moving on a slinky with frequency 3 Hz and a wavelength of 0.3m.What is
the wave speed?

Given frequency of wave, f = 3 Hz

Wavelength of wave, λ = 0.3 m
The wave speed v = fλ
= (3)(0.3)
= 0.9 ms-1

Date: …………………… Suhaimi 4

 DAMPING AND RESONNANCE

Energy transfer in vibration system

X Potential energy is maximum.
Y Kinetic energy is maximum
Z Potential energy is maximum

X Z
Y
A Simple Pendulum
Displacement x/cm

a1
a2
a3
a4
Time/s

a1>a2> a3> a4

Damping occurs if a vibrating system gradually loses its

energy in overcoming resistance to its motion and will
eventually stop vibrating.Decreasing amplitude is due to
energy loss.

Example:
An empty swing that is swinging will eventually come to a stop after sometime if it is not
pushed.

Date: …………………… Suhaimi 5

 RESONANCE

Natural The tendency of an object to Forced

frequency: absorb more energy when Oscillation:
The frequency the frequency of the An oscillation
that an object oscillations matches the caused by
tends to object’s natural frequency of external force
oscillate at when vibration therefore causing its acting on the
disturbed by an amplitude to grow larger system.
external force. and larger rapidly

Resonance: A phenomenon
that happens when a Resonance:
vibration system is forced to Can be observed using a
vibrate with its natural Barton’s Pendulum.The Driving
frequency. Pendulum forces six pendulums
of different lengths to vibrate.

Barton’s Pendulum :
Each of the six pendulum
l1 l2 has its natural
l3
x l4 frequency.The pendulum
that vibrates with the
l5 largest amplitude is said
to be in resonance with
l6 the driving pendulum.
Driving pendulum

Pendulum with various length

Example:
If an Opera sings at the same frequency as the natural frequency of a glass, the glass tends
to absorb more and more energy and eventually will break.

Date: …………………… Suhaimi 6

 TRUE STORY (video)

On the morning of November 7, 1940, the four month old Tacoma Narrows Bridge began to oscillate
dangerously up and down. A reporter drove out on the bridge with his cocker spaniel in the car. The bridge
was heaving so violently that he had to abandon his car and crawl back to safety on his hands and knees.

At about 11:00 the bridge tore itself apart and collapsed. It had been designed for winds of 120 mph and
yet a wind of only 42 mph caused it to collapse. How could this happen? No one knows exactly why.
However, the experts do agree that somehow the wind caused the bridge to resonate. It was a shocking
calamity although the only loss of life was the cocker spaniel.

Date: …………………… Suhaimi 7

 1.2 ANALYSING REFLECTION OF WAVES.
WATER WAVES
Incident wavefronts

Reflected rays

Incident rays

λ λ
Reflected
wavefronts
Reflection of a wave occurs when a wave strikes an Normal
obstacle (penghalang). The wave undergoes a change in
direction of propagation when it is reflected. Direction of reflected
wave

LIGHT WAVES
Reflected light ray

Θi Θr
Incident light ray

Shiny smooth plane

SOUND WAVES Flat hard surface to

reflect sound wave.

Card board tube

i r

Stop
watch
Ear

Soft surface to absorb

sound wave.

Date: …………………… Suhaimi 8

 LAWS OF REFLECTION
1. The incident ray, the reflected ray and the normal all lie in the same plane.
2. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection, i.e. i = r.

EFFECTS OF REFLECTION OF WAVE

Velocity, v
Remain the same before and after
Frequency, f
reflections
Wavelength, λ

Date: …………………… Suhaimi 9