Mechanical Waves Notes PDF
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These notes provide a comprehensive overview of mechanical waves, including definitions, types (transverse, longitudinal, and surface), and calculations. Examples and formulas are included for further understanding and application of the concepts.
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Waves MECHANICAL WAVES Mechanical Waves DEFINITION: a disturbance in matter that carries energy from one place to another. The matter that waves travel through is called a MEDIUM. solid, liquid, gas Examples of Mechanical Waves 3 Types of Mechanical Waves 1. Transverse Waves...
Waves MECHANICAL WAVES Mechanical Waves DEFINITION: a disturbance in matter that carries energy from one place to another. The matter that waves travel through is called a MEDIUM. solid, liquid, gas Examples of Mechanical Waves 3 Types of Mechanical Waves 1. Transverse Waves 2. Longitudinal Waves 3. Surface Waves Transverse Waves Parts Longitudinal Waves Surface Waves Waves that travel along a surface separating two media. i.e. ocean waves Period & Frequency Period (T): time required for one cycle (a complete motion that returns to its starting point). Measured in seconds (s) Frequency (𝒇): number of complete cycles in a given amount of time. Measured in cycles/second (Hz) Formulas 𝒇 = 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒚 𝑻 = 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒅 𝒕 = 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 Examples 1. A child on a swing completes 15 cycles in 60 seconds. Calculate the frequency and the period of the swing. 2. The frequency of a pendulum is 8 Hz. Calculate the period. Wavelength Wavelength (λ): is the distance between a point on one wave and the exact same point on the next cycle of the wave. When 𝒇 ,λ When 𝒇 ,λ Speed Speed (𝒗): how fast the wave travels. Measured in metres/second (m/s) Examples 1. A wave on a rope has a wavelength of 2.0 m and a frequency of 2.0 Hz. What is the speed of the wave? 2. What is the speed of a wave in a spring if it has a wavelength of 10 cm and a period of 0.2 s?
