General Property of Waves Definitions

Waves

A periodic motion/travelling disturbance repeated at regular intervals, which transfers energy from one point to another without any transfer of matter

Wavefront

An imaginery line joining all points on the waves that are in phase

Properties of transverse waves

1. A wave where the direction of vibration of the particles is perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the wave

2. Transfer energy from one point to another without any transfer of matter (or the medium)

3. Undergoes reflection and refraction

4. Obeys the general equation of waves

5. The maximum/minimum point is the crest/trough

6. Examples; EM Waves

Properties of longitudinal waves

1. A wave where the direction of vibration of the particles is parallel to the direction of propagation of the wave

2. Transfer energy from one point to another without any transfer of matter (or the medium).

3. Both undergo reflection and refraction.

4. Obeys the general wave equation

5. Compression/Rarefaction is the region where air pressure is higher/lower than surrounding air pressure

6. Example; Sound Waves

Echo

A reflected sound heard as a separate sound after an interval of silence

Reverbation

Reflected sound that cannot be heard as a separate sound but which seems to just prolong the original sound

Correlation between Waves and Sounds

1. The higher the frequency the higher the pitch

2. The higher the amplitude the greater the sound

Ultrasound

Sound of frequencies above the upper hearing limit of the human range of audibility

Infrasound

Sound frequencies below the lower hearing limit of the human range of audibility