Waves and Wave Properties

Why are we able to see?

Answer: Because there is light.

And…what is light?
Answer: Light is a wave (and a
particle).
So…what is a wave?
Answer: A wave is a disturbance, or
vibration, that carries energy from
place to place.
A wave does NOT carry matter with
it! It just moves the matter as it goes
through it.
Some waves do not need matter
(called a “medium”) to be able to
move (for example, through space).

These are called electromagnetic

waves (or EM waves).

Some waves MUST have a medium

in order to move. These are called
mechanical waves.
 Wave Types
1. Transverse waves: Waves in which the medium
moves at right angles to the direction of the wave
Sound Waves and
Light Waves behave
like Transverse Waves
Parts of transverse waves:
Crest: the highest point of the wave
Trough: the lowest point of the wave
2. Compressional (or longitudinal) waves:
Waves in which the medium moves back and
forth in the same direction as the wave
A spring (slinky) or a tuning fork behaves like a
compressional or longitudinal wave.
Parts of longitudinal waves:
Compression: where the particles are close together
Rarefaction: where the particles are spread apart
 Wave Properties
Wave properties depend on what
(type of energy) is making the waves.
1. Wavelength: The distance between one point
on a wave and the exact same place on the
next wave.
2. Frequency: How many waves go past a point
in one second; unit of measurement is hertz (Hz).

The higher the frequency, the more energy in the

wave.
10 waves going past in 1 second = 10 Hz
1,000 waves go past in 1 second = 1,000 Hz
1 million waves going past = 1 million Hz
Frequency would have units of
cycles/second, waves/second,
vibrations/second, or something/second.

The unit for frequency is the Hertz

(abbreviated Hz) where 1 Hz is equivalent to
1 cycle/second.

The period of a wave is the time for a wave

to make one complete cycle.
If the woodpecker drums upon a tree 2 times in one
second, then the frequency is 2 Hz. Each drum must
endure for one-half a second, so the period is 0.5 s.

Therefore the equation between frequency and a

period is the following:
Rank these
waves from
highest
frequency to
lowest
frequency by
colour; red, blue
and purple.
3. Amplitude: How far the medium moves from
rest position (where it is when not moving).
Remember that for transverse waves, the highest
point is the crest, and the lowest point is the trough.
Remember that for compressional waves, the
points where the medium is close together are
called compressions and the areas where the
medium is spread apart are called rarefactions.
The closer together and further apart the
particles are, the larger the amplitude.

compression

rarefaction
The energy of a wave is proportional to the
square of its amplitude. Mathematically
speaking . . .
E = A2
Where:
E = energy (the capacity to do work) in Joules
A = amplitude

For example:
If the amplitude is equal to 3 units

E = (3)2 = 9 joules
 Note that when the amplitude of a wave is one
unit, the energy is one unit.
• When the amplitude is doubled, the energy is
quadrupled.
• When the energy is 10 times greater, the energy is
100 times greater!

Amplitude Energy
1 1
2 4
3 9
4 16
5 25
6 36
7 49
8 64
9 81
10 100
Energy, in joules, is also measured by using
frequency (v) and Planks Constant.

E=(h) (v)

Where:
E = energy in Joules
h = Planks constant 6.626X10-34
v= frequency of the wavelength
Example:
Calculate the energy of a photon of radiation
with a frequency of 8.5 x 1014 Hz.
E=hv
E=(6.626X10-34)(8.5 x 1014)
E=5.63 ×10-19 J
Therefore,

•The higher the frequency the higher the

energy of the wave and,

•The higher the amplitude the higher the

energy of the wave.
4. Wave speed: Depends on the medium in
which the wave is traveling. It varies in
solids, liquids and gases.
A mathematical way to calculate speed:
wave speed = (wavelength) (frequency)
(in meters) (in Hz)

OR

v = (‫()ג‬f)

Problem: If a wave has a wavelength of 2 m and a frequency of 500 Hz,

what is its speed?
Answer: speed = 2 m x 500 Hz = 1000 m/s
Speed of a wave can also be calculated by:

Velocity (m/s) = Distance (m)/time (s)

Or
Distance=(Velocity)(Time)

Noah stands 170 meters away from a steep

canyon wall. He shouts and hears the echo of his
voice one second later. What is the speed of the
wave?

v = 170m/1 second
v = 170 m/s
 Speed of Sound
in Different Mediums
Medium velocity m/sec
air (20 C) 343
air (0 C) 331
water (25 C) 1493
sea water 1533
diamond 12000
iron 5130
copper 3560
glass 5640
 Changing Wave Direction
1.Reflection: When waves bounce off a surface.

If the surface is flat, the angle at which the wave hits

the surface will be the same as the angle at which it
leaves the surface
(angle in = angle out).

This is the
law of reflection.
2. Refraction: Waves can bend.

This happens when a wave

enters a new medium and its
SPEED CHANGES.

The amount of bending

depends on the medium it is
entering.
3. Diffraction: The bending of waves AROUND
an object.

The amount of bending depends on the size of

the obstacle and the size of the waves.

Large obstacle, small wavelength =

low diffraction
Small obstacle, large wavelength =
large diffraction
 Interference of Wave
Interference of Waves is the phenomenon
that occurs when two waves meet while
traveling along the same medium.

Two types of interference

1) Constructive
2) Destructive
 Constructive Interference
1. Constructive Interference - is a type of interference
that occurs at any location along the medium where
the two interfering waves combine in the same
direction. It basically adds energy to the wave.
 Destructive Interference
2. Destructive Interference – is a type of
interference that occurs at any location along the
medium where the two interfering waves have a
change in the opposite direction. It basically
cancels the wave.
 Electromagnetic Wave
Speed in Vacuum
–300,000 km/sec
–or 300,000,000 m/s
c = 3.08X108 m/s
Speed in Other Materials © 2000 Microsoft Clip Gallery

–Slower in Air, Water, Glass

 Transverse
Waves
© 2000 Microsoft Clip Gallery

Moving photon creates electric &

magnetic field
–Light has BOTH Electric &
Magnetic fields at right angles!
Electromagnetic
Spectrum

© 2000 Microsoft Clip Gallery

 Electromagnetic
Spectrum
1. Visible Spectrum – Light we can see
– Roy G. Biv – Acronym for Red, Orange, Yellow,
Green, Blue, Indigo, & Violet.
– Largest to Smallest Wavelength.
– 700 nm – 400 nm wavelength
 Electromagnetic
Spectrum
2. Invisible Spectrum
1. Radio Waves (103 – 10-1 m)
Def. – Longest wavelength &
lowest frequency.
Uses – Radio & T.V.
broadcasting.
© 2000 Microsoft Clip Gallery
 Radio Waves
Radio Waves - variation of amplitude or
frequency when waves are broadcast
– AM – amplitude modulation
Carries audio for T.V. Broadcasts
Longer wavelength so can bend around hills
– FM – frequency modulation
Carries video for T.V. Broadcasts
2. Microwaves (10-1 – 10-3 m)
Micro Waves – large to small waves.
They are used in microwaves to heat and
cook your food.
They are also used in radars so as to
transmit information back and forth.
 Short Wavelength
Microwave

3. Infrared Rays (10-4 – 10-6 m)

Def – Light rays with longer
wavelength than red light.
Uses: Cooking, Medicine,
T.V. remote controls
 Electromagnetic
Spectrum
3. Ultraviolet rays (10-7 – 10-8 m)
Def. – EM waves with
frequencies slightly higher than
visible light
Uses: food processing &
hospitals to kill germs’ cells
Helps your body use vitamin D.
 Electromagnetic
Spectrum
4. X-Rays (10-8 – 10-11 m)
Def. - EM waves that are
shorter than UV rays.
Uses: Medicine – Bones
absorb x-rays; soft tissue does
not.
Lead absorbs X-rays.
 Electromagnetic
Spectrum
5. Gamma rays (10-11 – 10-13 m)
Def. Highest frequency EM
waves; Shortest wavelength.
They come from outer space.
Uses: cancer treatment.
All waves on the Electromagnetic Spectrum
(EM spectrum) travel at the speed of light.
Therefore, we need to know one important
equation
c = (v)(λ)
Where:
c= speed of light 3.08X108 m/s
v= frequency in hertz
λ=wavelength in meters
Example:
Violet light has a wavelength of 4.10 x10-12
meters. What is the frequency?
c = (v)(λ)
3.08X108 m/s = (v)(4.10 x10-12 m)
v=3.08X108 m/s
4.10 x10-12 m
v=7.31 × 1019/s
v=7.31 × 1019 Hz
 LIGHT: Particles or Waves?
Wave Model of Light
– Explains most properties of light
– But waves cannot move through space
(vacuum), so how do Electromagnetic
waves move through a vacuum?
Particle Theory of Light
– Albert Einstein studies light and suggests
that light is a particle.
– Electromagnetic waves are photon’s (a
particle).
© 2000 Microsoft Clip Gallery
 Double Slit Experiment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfPepr
Q7oGc