IB Physics HL Topic 9: Wave Phenomena

Equation for Simple Harmonic Motion

a = -w^2x

Angular Frequency related to time period

w = 2pi/T

Angular Frequency related to restoring force

w^2 = k/m

Time Period related to angular frequency

T = 2pi/w = 2pi (m/k)^1/2

k

resulting force per unit displacement

m

oscillating mass

Kinetic Energy in SHM

Ek = (1/2)mw^2(x0-x^2)

x0

amplitude of the oscillation measured in m

x

displacement

Potential Energy in SHM

Ep = (1/2)mw^2x^2

Huygen's Principle

Every point on a wavefront is a series of smaller waves

Path difference between slits

The space between the wall a wave emerges from and a perpendicular line between waves

Phase Change

Inversion of the wave that can take place at a reflection interface

Resolved Sources of Light

When an eye can tell two sources of light apart

Rayleigh Criterion

If two sources are just resolved, the the first minimum of one diffraction pattern is located on top of the maximum of the other diffraction pattern.

Resolvance

Ratio between a wavelength being investigated and the smallest possible resolvable wavelength difference. R = λ/Δλ = mN

Red Shift (doppler effect)

Source of light of a particular frequency is moving away from an observer

Blue Shift (doppler effect)

Source of light of a particular frequency is moving towards an observer