Physics 1402A/B Lecture 13: Lecture 13 Notes - Waves

• School: Western University
• Department: Physics
• Course: Physics 1402A/B
• Professor: Jan Cami

Document Summary

Explain the nature of waves (longitudinal and transverse) as travelling disturbances. Describe waves quantitatively in terms of amplitude, period, frequency and wavelength/wave number. Use the wave equation to determine wave speeds. Waves are shm happening at many different, connected points simultaneously. The red dot oscillates around an equilibrium position in 1d. Transverse waves are waves where the 1d shm motion is perpendicular to the direction defined by the wavelength. A good example is the wave created by moving a string. Represents the length of the repeating cycle in terms of it"s distance. Longitudinal waves are when the 1d shm motion is in the same direction as the direction of the wavelength. When the motion is stretching or compression, is when we sat the motion moves parallel. Standing waves are when the peaks of the wave do not travel along the string, but stay in one place. Travelling waves are when the disturbance propagates from on place to another.