Study Of Waves, Energy, Light, and Soun

Waves and Energy: Energy can be transferred by waves. 

Categories of Waves:

1. Mechanical Waves: This type of wave requires a medium (material) to travel through. Examples of such waves would be waves on a jump rope, a slinky, surface waves on water, and sound waves.

2. Electromagnetic Waves: This type of wave requires no medium (substance) to travel through. Visible Light and X-rays are examples of two kinds of electromagnetic waves.

Three General Types of Waves:

1. Transverse Wave: This type of wave causes the particles in a medium to vibrate perpendicular to the direction in which the the wave moves. Two examples are that of waves sent along a jump rope or along a spring such as a slinky.

2. Longitudinal Wave: This type of wave causes the particles in a medium to vibrate parallel to the direction in which the wave moves. Two examples are a compression wave moving along a spring (produced by compressing and then releasing a few coils of a spring) and a sound wave.

3. Surface Wave: This type of wave has characteristice of both the transverse wave and the longitudinal wave. Surface waves cause particles on the surface of a medium to move both horizontally and verticlly in sort of a rolling, cicular motion as the wave moves forward. An example are the surface waves moving across a body of water.

More Facts about waves: A medium vibrates in response to a wave moving along through the material, but the medium itselve does not move with the wave. A pulse is a single didturbance in the medium. A single ripple spreading out across a pond would be an example of a single pulse. A wave train is a series of pulses at regular intervals. A series of waves rolling up on a shore is an example of a wave train.

Common Terminology: A wave crest is the highest point on a transverse wave or the point of maximum compression on a longitudinal wave. A wave trough is the lowest point on a transverse wave or the point of least compression on a longitudinal wave. The wavelength of a wave is the distance between corresponding points on consecutive waves. The wave height of a wave is the maximum displacement of the wave from the rest or equilibrium position when no wave is present.


Return to Home Page