Physics: Waves, Sound and Light
https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/filter?subjects=sound-and-waves&type=html,prototype
WAVES
https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/wave-on-a-string
• Oscillation Movement back and forth in a regular rhythm.
• A medium is the substance or material in which a pulse will move.
• A pulse is a single disturbance that moves through a medium.
• Particle in a wave is a point on a wave
• A wave is formed when a continuous number of pulses are transmitted
through a medium.
• A crest is the highest point a particle in the medium rises to.
• A trough is the lowest point a particle in the medium sinks to.
• The amplitude (𝑨) is the maximum distance from equilibrium position to a
crest (or trough), or the maximum displacement of a particle in a wave from
its position of rest.
• The wavelength (𝝀) is the distance between any two adjacent points on a
wave that are in phase. It is measured in metres.
• The period (𝑻) of a wave is the time it takes a wavelength to pass a fixed
point. It is measured in seconds (𝒔).
• The frequency (𝒇) of a wave is how many waves pass a point in a second.
It is measured in hertz (𝑯𝒛) or 𝒔−𝟏 .
𝟏
• Frequency: 𝒇 =
𝑻
𝟏
• Period: 𝑻 =
𝒇
𝝀
• Speed: 𝒗 = 𝒇. 𝝀 or 𝒗 =
𝑻
Transverse Pulse
A pulse where all of the particles disturbed by the pulse move perpendicular
(at a right angle) to the direction in which the pulse is moving.
Longitudinal waves
A longitudinal wave is a wave where the particles in the medium move
parallel to the direction of propagation of the wave.
Sound Waves
• Sound waves are longitudinal waves
• The frequency of a sound is an indication of how high or low the pitch of the
sound is.
• The human ear can hear frequencies from 20 to 20 000 Hz. Infrasound waves
have frequencies lower than 20 Hz. Ultrasound waves have frequencies
higher than 20 000 Hz.
• The amplitude of a sound determines its loudness or volume.
• The tone is a measure of the quality of a sound wave.
• The speed of sound in air is around 340 m · 𝑠 −1 . It is dependent on the
temperature, height above sea level and the phase of the medium through
which it is travelling.
• Sound travels faster when the medium is hot.
• Sound travels faster in a solid than a liquid and faster in a liquid than in a gas.
• Sound travels faster at sea level where the air pressure is higher.
• The intensity of a sound is the energy transmitted over a certain area. Intensity
is a measure of frequency.
• Ultrasound can be used to form pictures of things we cannot see, like unborn
babies or tumours, cleaning of teeth by dentist.
• Echolocation is used by animals such as dolphins and bats to “see” their
surroundings by using ultrasound.
• Ships use sonar to determine how deep the ocean is or to locate shoals of
fish.
Waves Wavelength Frequency
Roman Radio waves (1 − 104 )𝑚 < 3 × 109
Men Micro waves (10−3 − 1)𝑚 3 × 109 − 3 × 1012
Invented Infra-red waves (10−6 − 10−3 )𝑚 3 × 1012 − 4,3 × 1019
Very Visible light waves (10−7 − 10−6 )𝑚 4,3 × 1014 − 7,5 × 1014
Unusual Ultra violet waves (10−8.5 − 10−7 )𝑚 7,5 × 1014 − 3 × 1017
X-ray x-ray (10−12 − 10−8 )𝑚 3 × 1017 − 3 × 1019
Guns Gamma rays (< 10−12 )𝑚 > 3 × 1019
The energy of a photon can be calculated using the formula:
𝑬 = 𝒉𝒇 Planck’s constant : 𝒉 = 𝟔, 𝟔𝟑 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟑𝟒 𝑱 ∙ 𝒔
𝒉𝒄
Or 𝑬=
𝝀
Wave Movement intro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVsdXKO9xlk&list=PLW0gavSzhMlTWm6Sr5uN2Uv5TXHiZUq8b&index=82
Transverse and Longitude Waves
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Anh9HthWgQ&list=PLW0gavSzhMlTWm6Sr5uN2Uv5TXHiZUq8b&index=63
Wave equation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj8JQJtVl0c&list=PLW0gavSzhMlTWm6Sr5uN2Uv5TXHiZUq8b&index=102
Wave Behaviour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL2MtP7j-xk&list=PLW0gavSzhMlTWm6Sr5uN2Uv5TXHiZUq8b&index=73
Medical Imaging
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0miiJa5c2po&list=PLW0gavSzhMlTWm6Sr5uN2Uv5TXHiZUq8b&index=104
Electromagnetic Waves
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=508ZsmsIlno&list=PLW0gavSzhMlTWm6Sr5uN2Uv5TXHiZUq8b&index=108
Sound Wave Experiments
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mlBh5d1IUY&list=PLW0gavSzhMlTWm6Sr5uN2Uv5TXHiZUq8b&index=15
Wave Superposition
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJbpXx8fMUk&list=TLPQMTUxMjIwMjInSynwfoVCFw&index=1
