Waves

WAVES

WAVES

• It is a disturbance or series of vibrations traveling from one place to another. 

• It carries energy with or without medium.

MEDIUM

• It is a substance or material through which a wave travels.

EXP : water, air solid

TYPES OF WAVES

Transverse waves

• vibrations of particles are perpendicular to the direction of travel

Equilibrium Position 

 - position of the medium where there is no disturbance.

Crest

 - point on  the wave with maximum positive or upward displacement from the equilibrium position

Trough

 - point on the wave with maximum negative or downward displacement from the equilibrium position 

 Amplitude

 - distance from rest position to crest or trough

Wavelength

- distance between any two adjacent point on a wave

- length of one complete wave cycle.

• crest to crest

• trough to trough

Frequency

• the number of waves that pass a point in a certain period of time. 

• Unit: hertz (Hz)

Longitudinal Wave

• vibrations of particles are parallel to the direction of travel

Surface Wave

vibrations of particles undergo a circular motion

• Some of these waves cause the ground to shake up and down (S-waves) or side to side (P-waves).

Electromagnetic Wave

• A transverse wave that DO NOT NEED matter (medium) to transfer energy 

Electromagnetic Spectrum