Waves Lecture Notes

Types of Waves

• Transverse Waves

  • Vibrations are perpendicular (90°) to the direction of wave travel.
  • Examples include:
    • Waves in water
    • Waves on a string
    • Light waves

• Longitudinal Waves

  • Vibrations are parallel to the direction of wave travel.
  • Example:
    • Sound waves

Key Concepts of Waves

• Energy Transfer
  • Waves transfer energy from place to place, not matter.
  • Example: A rubber duck in a bath bobs up and down as a wave passes but returns to its original position once the wave is gone.

Features of Waves

• Wavelength (λ)

  • The length of a full cycle of a wave from one point to the next same point.
  • Measured from crest to crest or trough to trough.
  • Unit: Meters

• Amplitude

  • The size of the wave, measured from the equilibrium (central line) to the crest.

• Frequency

  • The number of complete waves passing a point every second.
  • Unit: Hertz (Hz)
  • Example: If 10 waves pass in 2 seconds, the frequency is 5 Hertz.

Calculating Wave Speed

• Formula: Speed = Frequency × Wavelength
  • Symbolic Form: V = Fλ

Conclusion

• Understanding these core concepts will give confidence in studying wave topics further.
• Focus on grasping the differences between wave types and their characteristics.