Waves Definition and Classification

Definition and Classification of Waves

• A wave is a disturbance or oscillation that travels through space and matter, transferring energy.
• Waves are classified into two main types: mechanical waves and electromagnetic waves.

Mechanical Waves

• Require a medium to propagate, such as sound waves and water waves.
• Examples: sound waves and water waves.

Electromagnetic Waves

• Can travel through a vacuum, such as light waves and radio waves.
• Examples: light waves and radio waves.

Properties of Waves

Amplitude

• The maximum displacement of a wave from its equilibrium position.

Wavelength

• The distance between two successive crests or troughs of a wave.

Frequency

• The number of complete oscillations or cycles of a wave per unit time.

Speed

• The rate at which a wave travels through a medium, determined by the medium's properties.

Types of Mechanical Waves

Transverse Waves

• Particles of the medium vibrate perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation.

Longitudinal Waves

• Particles of the medium vibrate parallel to the direction of wave propagation.

Wave Interference

Constructive Interference

• When two waves meet in phase, resulting in an increase in amplitude.

Destructive Interference

• When two waves meet out of phase, resulting in a decrease in amplitude.

Wave Reflection, Refraction, and Diffraction

Reflection

• The bouncing back of a wave when it encounters a boundary.

Refraction

• The bending of a wave as it passes from one medium to another with different properties.

Diffraction

• The bending of waves around obstacles or through openings.

Standing Waves

• Formed by the superposition of two waves with the same frequency and amplitude traveling in opposite directions.
• Nodes and antinodes characterize standing wave patterns.