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slit interference</a></label></li><li class=""><label style="padding-left: 14px"><i class="fa fa-fw"></i><a href="../1124/thin-film-interference.html">Thin film interference</a></label></li></ul></li></ul></div> <div class="hidden-xs hidden-sm"> <button class="btn btn-default btn-block text-xs-center" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#modal-feedback" style="margin-bottom: 10px"><i class="fa fa-send"></i> Feedback</button> </div> </div> <div class="col-md-9" id="main-column"> <h1 class="page_title"> Introduction to waves <a href="#" class="mark-page-favorite pull-right" data-pid="279" title="Mark as favorite" onclick="return false;"><i class="fa fa-star-o"></i></a> </h1> <ol class="breadcrumb"> <li><a href="../../../physics.html"><i class="fa fa-home"></i></a><i class="fa fa-fw fa-chevron-right divider"></i></li><li><a href="../444/oscillations-and-waves.html">Oscillations and waves</a><i class="fa fa-fw fa-chevron-right divider"></i></li><li><a href="../278/waves.html">Waves</a><i class="fa fa-fw fa-chevron-right divider"></i></li><li><span class="gray">Introduction to waves</span></li> <span class="pull-right" style="color: #555" title="Suggested study time: 15 minutes"><i class="fa fa-clock-o"></i> 15'</span> </ol> <article id="main-article"> <p><img alt="" src="../../waves/2-waves-sm.jpg" style="float: left; width: 250px; height: 167px;">Particles don´t spread out, pass through each other, add or cancel... but waves do.</p> <p>What quantities do we use to model waves? Sound and light are very different but are modelled in the same way.</p> <hr class="hidden-separator"> <div class="panel panel-turquoise panel-has-colored-body"> <div class="panel-heading"> <div> <p>Key Concepts</p> </div> </div> <div class="panel-body"> <div> <div class="panel panel-turquoise panel-has-colored-body panel-has-border"> <div class="panel-heading"><a class="expander" href="#"><span class="fa fa-plus"></span></a> <div> <p>Properties and quantities</p> </div> </div> <div class="panel-body"> <div> <p>The kinetic energy of a particle travels with the particle, whereas the energy in a wave spreads out. </p> <p>Quantities used to describe waves include:</p> <ul> <li>Wavelength</li> <li>Frequency</li> <li>Wave speed</li> </ul> <div class="video-embed vimeo"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" webkitallowfullscreen="" height="420" width="100%" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/168318038"></iframe></div> </div> </div> <div class="panel-footer"> <div> <p> </p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="panel panel-turquoise panel-has-colored-body panel-has-border panel-expandable"> <div class="panel-heading"><a class="expander" href="#"><span class="fa fa-plus"></span></a> <div> <p>Wave propagation</p> </div> </div> <div class="panel-body"> <div> <p>A <em>wavefront</em> propagates as if it were made of an infinite number of wavelets.</p> <div class="video-embed vimeo"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" webkitallowfullscreen="" height="420" width="100%" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/168324868"></iframe></div> </div> </div> <div class="panel-footer"> <div> <p> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="panel-footer"> <div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="panel panel-has-colored-body panel-yellow"> <div class="panel-heading"><a class="expander" href="#"><span class="fa fa-plus"></span></a> <div> <p>Essentials</p> </div> </div> <div class="panel-body"> <div> <p>When a ball hits the surface of a pond, it gives energy to the surface. This energy spreads out. All waves involve the transfer of energy.</p> <div class="video-embed vimeo"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" webkitallowfullscreen="" height="420" width="100%" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/168462380"></iframe></div> </div> </div> <div class="panel-footer"> <div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="panel panel-has-colored-body panel-purple"> <div class="panel-heading"><a class="expander" href="#"><span class="fa fa-plus"></span></a> <div> <p>Summary</p> </div> </div> <div class="panel-body"> <div> <p>Speed, frequency and wavelength are related by the formula:</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span class="math-tex">\(v=f\lambda\)</span></p> <div class="video-embed vimeo"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" webkitallowfullscreen="" height="420" width="100%" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/170265556"></iframe></div> </div> </div> <div class="panel-footer"> <div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="panel panel-has-colored-body panel-green"> <div class="panel-heading"><a class="expander" href="#"><span class="fa fa-plus"></span></a> <div> <p>Test Yourself</p> </div> </div> <div class="panel-body"> <div> <p><i>Use quizzes to practise application of theory.</i></p> <br><a class="btn btn-primary btn-block text-center" data-toggle="modal" href="#bafb5166"><i class="fa fa-play"></i> START QUIZ!</a><div class="modal fade modal-slide-quiz" id="bafb5166"> <div class="modal-dialog" style="width: 95vw; max-width: 960px"> <div class="modal-content"> <div class="modal-header slide-quiz-title"> <h4 class="modal-title" style="width: 100%;"> Introduction to waves <strong class="q-number pull-right"> <span class="counter">1</span>/<span class="total">1</span> </strong> </h4> </div> <div class="modal-body p-xs-3"> <div class="slide-quiz" data-stats="6-86-279" style="opacity: 0"> <div class="exercise shadow-bottom"><div class="q-question"><p>Which of the following would not produce circular wavefronts?</p></div><div class="q-answer"><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> a buzzing bee</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> a stone dropped into a pond</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input class="c" type="radio"> a storm out at sea</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> a point source of light</label></p></div><div class="q-explanation"><p>Circular wavefronts come from point sources, a storm is not a point. A bee and stone are not points either but are closer approximations than a storm</p></div><div class="slide-q-actions"><button class="btn btn-default btn-sm btn-xs-block text-xs-center check"><i class="fa fa-check-square-o"></i> Check</button></div></div><div class="exercise shadow-bottom"><div class="q-question"><p>A wave propagates as if made of a series of point sources. Which of the following diagrams represents the wavefront formed by the line of points?</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="../../wavefrontsq1.jpg" style="width: 450px; height: 210px;"></p></div><div class="q-answer"><p><label class="radio" style=" float: left; margin-right: 40px; "><input class="c" type="radio"> D</label></p><p><label class="radio" style=" float: left; margin-right: 40px; "><input type="radio"> A</label></p><p><label class="radio" style=" float: left; margin-right: 40px; "><input type="radio"> B</label></p><p><label class="radio" style=" float: left; margin-right: 40px; "><input type="radio"> C</label></p></div><div class="q-explanation"></div><div class="slide-q-actions"><button class="btn btn-default btn-sm btn-xs-block text-xs-center check"><i class="fa fa-check-square-o"></i> Check</button></div></div><div class="exercise shadow-bottom"><div class="q-question"><p>A line of small balls joined by elastic strings lying on a frictionless table is disturbed in a horizontal direction as shown.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" class="gifffer" data-gifffer="/media/physics/waveproq1.gif"></p><p>Which forms of energy does the string of balls get from the wave pulse?</p></div><div class="q-answer"><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> graviational PE, elastic PE and KE</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> gravitational PE and elastic PE</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input class="c" type="radio"> elastic PE and KE</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> gravitational PE and KE</label></p></div><div class="q-explanation"><p>The balls move and the strings are stretched</p><p>There is no gravitational PE since the disturbance is horizontal.</p></div><div class="slide-q-actions"><button class="btn btn-default btn-sm btn-xs-block text-xs-center check"><i class="fa fa-check-square-o"></i> Check</button></div></div><div class="exercise shadow-bottom"><div class="q-question"><p>A horizontal wave pulse reflects off a fixed end as shown</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" class="gifffer" data-gifffer="/media/physics/wavenergyq1.gif"></p><p>What forms of energy are passed on to the clamp</p></div><div class="q-answer"><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> gravitational PE + elastic PE + KE</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> elastic PE + elastic PE</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> KE</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input class="c" type="radio"> none</label></p></div><div class="q-explanation"><p>The reflected wave is the same as the incident wave just inverted.</p><p>If the wave was not horizontal it would be difficult to explain where the gravitational PE has gone</p></div><div class="slide-q-actions"><button class="btn btn-default btn-sm btn-xs-block text-xs-center check"><i class="fa fa-check-square-o"></i> Check</button></div></div><div class="exercise shadow-bottom"><div class="q-question"><p>When a sound wave propagates through a gas, what form of energy do the gas atoms receive?</p></div><div class="q-answer"><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> KE + elastic PE + gravitational PE</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> KE + elastic PE</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input class="c" type="radio"> KE</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> elastic PE + gravitational PE</label></p></div><div class="q-explanation"><p>There are no forces between gas atoms so no elastic PE.</p><p>atoms could be lifted but let´s ignore that and anyway KE + gravitational isn´t an option</p></div><div class="slide-q-actions"><button class="btn btn-default btn-sm btn-xs-block text-xs-center check"><i class="fa fa-check-square-o"></i> Check</button></div></div><div class="exercise shadow-bottom"><div class="q-question"><p>The diagram represents the position of a series of balls connected with elastic string as a vertical pulse passes.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" height="215" src="../../pulseq1.png" width="223"></p><p>The green ball has</p></div><div class="q-answer"><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> elastic PE + gravitational PE + KE</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> only KE</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input class="c" type="radio"> only gravitational PE</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> KE + gravitational PE</label></p></div><div class="q-explanation"><p>At max displacement the velocity = 0</p><p>The elastic string has elastic PE not the ball</p><p>The ball is lifted so has gravitational PE</p></div><div class="slide-q-actions"><button class="btn btn-default btn-sm btn-xs-block text-xs-center check"><i class="fa fa-check-square-o"></i> Check</button></div></div><div class="exercise shadow-bottom"><div class="q-question"><p>Which diagram is correctly labeled?</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" height="225" src="../../wavesbasicq6.jpg" width="404"></p><p>λ wavelength<br>A Amplitude</p></div><div class="q-answer"><p><label class="radio" style=" float: left; margin-right: 40px; "><input class="c" type="radio"> C</label></p><p><label class="radio" style=" float: left; margin-right: 40px; "><input type="radio"> A</label></p><p><label class="radio" style=" float: left; margin-right: 40px; "><input type="radio"> B</label></p><p><label class="radio" style=" float: left; margin-right: 40px; "><input type="radio"> D</label></p></div><div class="q-explanation"><p>Wavelength is distance between peaks</p><p>amplitude is max displacement from the equilibrium position</p></div><div class="slide-q-actions"><button class="btn btn-default btn-sm btn-xs-block text-xs-center check"><i class="fa fa-check-square-o"></i> Check</button></div></div><div class="exercise shadow-bottom"><div class="q-question"><p>A wave in a string travels at 5ms<sup>-1</sup> and has a wavelength of 2m</p><p>The frequency of the wave is:</p></div><div class="q-answer"><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> 10 Hz</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> 0.25 Hz</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input class="c" type="radio"> 2.5 Hz</label></p><p><label class="radio"><input type="radio"> 20 Hz</label></p></div><div class="q-explanation"><p>f = v/λ = 5/2</p></div><div class="slide-q-actions"><button class="btn btn-default btn-sm btn-xs-block text-xs-center check"><i class="fa fa-check-square-o"></i> Check</button></div></div> </div> </div> <div class="modal-footer slide-quiz-actions"> <div class=""> <div class="pull-left pull-xs-none mb-xs-3"> <button class="btn btn-default d-xs-none btn-prev"> <i class="fa fa-arrow-left"></i> Prev </button> </div> <div class="pull-right pull-xs-none"> <button class="btn btn-success btn-xs-block text-xs-center btn-results" style="display: none"> <i class="fa fa-bar-chart"></i> Check Results </button> <button class="btn btn-default d-xs-none btn-next"> Next 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