Waves - Owen Shepherd

Two ways to graph a wave

Displacement time for a particle in a fixed point

Displacement distance to model the whole wave

Make sure you know which one tyo’re using!

Amplitude

The maximum displacement of the wave from the normal

Wavelength

The distance between two of the same points on the consecutive waves.

Time period

The time taken for a wave to complete a full cycle or pass through a point

Frequency

How many waves pass a point per second

Velocity

How fast a wave is travelling through a medium

Phase

The exact position or stage of a point within a wave cycle, measured as an angle in degrees or radians

Intensity

The amount of energy passing through a unit in a certain amount of time

Watts per metre squared

Mechanical vs EM waves

Mechanical needs a physical medium or substance to pass through

Whereas EM waves can travel through a vacuum

Transverse vs longitudinal waves

Transverse oscillate at 90 degrees to direction of energy transfer

Longitudinal oscillate parallel to direction of energy transfer