Simple Harmonic Motion & Waves - Physics

simple harmonic motion

type of periodic motion or oscillation motion where the restoring force is directly proportional to the displacement and acts in the direction opposite to that of displacement

restoring force

a force that is pushing (or pulling) the object back toward equilibrium

what does every simple harmonic motion motion do?

back and forth motion over the same path

what is the maximum angle that allows simple harmonic motion?

15 degrees

amplitude

the maximum displacement of points on a wave; indicates the energy or

intensity of a wave

natural frequency (f0)

the frequency at which a system tends to oscillate in the absence of any driving or damping force (damping is friction)

forced oscillation

the application of an external alternating driving force to a system capable of vibrating produces this

resonance

the frequency of forced oscillation is equal to the natural frequency, the amplitude of vibration increases dramatically

wave

a disturbance that carries energy through matter or space without transferring matter

electromagnetic wave

do not need a medium to travel through

ex. light waves, radio waves

mechanical waves

must have a medium to travel through

ex. water waves, waves in a rope

transverse wave is a __________ wave

mechanical

transverse waves

vibrate perpendicular to the direction the wave travels

longitudinal or compressional waves are a __________ wave

mechanical

longitudinal or compressional waves

particles of medium vibrate parallel to the direction the wave travels

wave pulse

a single disturbance traveling through a medium

crest

top of wave

trough

bottom of wave

amplitude

height between highest/lowest point and equilibrium position

wavelength

distance between start of wave to the end of the wave

equilibrium position

neutral point between the highest and lowest point of the wave (mid line)

what is period measured in?

seconds

what are wavelength and amplitude measured in?

meters

what does the wave speed depend on?

the medium

which waves are faster: longitudinal or transverse?

longitudinal

what happens when two waves collide?

superposition

superposition

collision of two waves resulting in addition or subtraction of the waves (both waves continue unchanged after collision)

constructive interference

amplitudes add if waves are in phase

destructive interference

amplitudes cancel each other if waves are out of phase

standing wave

a wave that appears to be standing still, produced by the interference of two traveling waves (of the same amplitude) moving in opposite directions

node

in a standing wave, a stationary point having a displacement of zero

anti-node

in a standing wave, the points that undergo the maximum displacement during each vibrational cycle

frequency

the number of waves that pass by each second, and is measured in Hertz (Hz).