“ Wave Motion”

Ma. Clarissa Cantos – G6

Innah Denyse Almarez – G2

IV – St. Stephen

Mrs. Viola Abratique

Problem and Its Background

I. Introduction

What are waves? Waves are vibrations that transfer energy from place to place

without matter - solid, liquid or gas - being transferred. Think of a Mexican wave in a

football crowd. The wave moves around the stadium, while each spectator stays in their

seat only moving up then down when it's their turn.

Some waves must travel through a substance. The substance is known as the

medium, and it can be solid, liquid or gas. Sound waves and seismic waves are like this.

They must travel through a medium. It is the medium that vibrates as the waves travel

through. Other waves do not need to travel through a substance. They may be able to

travel through a medium, but they do not have to. Visible light, infrared rays,

microwaves and other types of electromagnetic radiation are like this. They can travel

through empty space. Electrical or magnetic fields vibrate as the waves travel through.

A transverse wave is a moving wave that consists of oscillations occurring

perpendicular (or right angled) to the direction of energy transfer. If a transverse wave is

moving in the positive x-direction, its oscillations are in up and down directions that lie in

the y–z plane. If you anchor one end of a ribbon or string and hold the other end in your

hand, you can create transverse waves by moving your hand up-and-down. Notice that

you can also launch waves by moving your hand side-to-side. This is an important point.
There are two independent directions in which wave motion can occur. In this case,

these are the y and z directions mentioned above. Another, if you carefully move your

hand in a clockwise circle, you will launch waves that describe a left-handed helix as

they propagate away. Similarly, if you move your hand in a counter-clockwise circle, a

right-handed helix will form. These phenomena of simultaneous motion in two directions

go beyond the kinds of waves you can create on the surface of water; in general a wave

on a string can be two-dimensional. Two-dimensional transverse waves exhibit a

phenomenon called polarization. A wave produced by moving your hand in a line, up

and down for instance, is a linearly polarized wave, a special case. A wave produced by

moving your hand in a circle is a circularly polarized wave, another special case. If your

motion is not strictly in a line or a circle your hand will describe an ellipse and the wave

will be elliptically polarized. Electromagnetic waves behave in this same way, although it

is harder to see. Electromagnetic waves are also two-dimensional transverse waves.

While longitudinal waves are waves that have the same direction of vibration as their

direction of travel, which means that the movement of the medium is in the same

direction as or the opposite direction to the motion of the wave. Mechanical longitudinal

waves have been also referred to as compressional waves or compression waves.

Longitudinal waves include sound waves (alternation in pressure, particle displacement,

or particle velocity propagated in an elastic material) and seismic P-waves (created by

earthquakes and explosions).

As waves travel, they set up patterns of disturbance. The amplitude of a wave is

its maximum disturbance from its undisturbed position. Take note, the amplitude is not

the distance between the top and bottom of a wave. The wavelength of a wave is the
distance between a point on one wave and the same point on the next wave. It is often

easiest to measure this from the crest of one wave to the crest of the next wave, but it

doesn't matter where as long as it is the same point in each wave. The frequency of a

wave is the number of waves produced by a source each second. It is also the number

of waves that pass a certain point each second. The unit of frequency is the hertz (Hz).

It is common for kilohertz (kHz), megahertz (MHz) and gigahertz (GHz) to be used when

waves have very high frequencies. For example, most people cannot hear a high-

pitched sound above 20kHz, radio stations broadcast radio waves with frequencies of

about 100MHz, while most wireless computer networks operate at 2.4GHz.

How fast do waves travel? The speed of a wave - its wave speed - is related to

its frequency and wavelength, according to this equation: wave speed (m/s) = frequency

(Hz) × wavelength (m). For example, a wave with a frequency of 100Hz and a

wavelength of 2m travels at 100 × 2 = 200m/s. Have you ever done the wave as part of

a large crowd at a football or baseball game? A group of people jumps up and sits back

down, some nearby people see them and they jump up, some people further away

follow suit and pretty soon you have a wave travelling around the stadium. The wave is

the disturbance (people jumping up and sitting back down), and it travels around the

stadium. However, none of the individual people the stadium is carried around with the

wave as it travel, they all remain at their seats.

Waves travel because they are a movement of energy through a medium. The

wave entails two parts, which are the crest and trough. The wavelength is the distance

between two crest. The wave height is the distance between a crest and trough.
II. Statement of the problem

This study aims to answer the following:

1. What are the causes of waves?

2. What are the types of waves?

3. How does it travel?

4. How fast does it travel?

III. Scope, Limitation ad Delimitation

This study attempts to find out what are the causes of waves, its types, how does

it travel and how fast does it travel.

Time may affect the outcome of the experiment because the study will just cover

the month of February 2011.

IV. Significance of the Study

Results of the study will be beneficial to the following:

First, to all the fourth year high school students for this can help them in better

understanding about waves and for them to initially know what the topic is highlighted

on.
 Second, to all the teachers and staff of the school for this can help improve their

knowledge and effectiveness in implementing more enjoyable activities and useful to

the students. Findings can also provide a significant tool in making a more

knowledgeable program to help the students to make this matter remarkable to them.

Third, the researchers themselves because knowledge earned from this can be

their guide in understanding of the causes and definition of waves. This will enable them

to understand why waves happen.

And last, the future researchers for this could be a baseline for future studies

regarding waves.

V. Definition of Terms

The following terms are provided for better understanding of the study and are

defined theoretically and operationally.

Amplitude is the intensity of a sound wave.

Corresponding points refers to two points or particles in the same phase

Electromagnetic waves are the effects of oscillating electric and magnetic fields that

are capable of traveling across space.

Frequency is the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit time.

Infrared rays are electromagnetic radiation lying in the electromagnetic spectrum

between visible light and microwaves.

Longitudinal waves are waves that have the same direction of vibration as their

direction of travel, which means that the movement of the medium is in the same

direction as or the opposite direction to the motion of the wave.

Polarization is the production or acquirement of polarity; to cause to vibrate in a definite

pattern.

Seismic waves are the cause of earthquakes.

Sound waves are mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure transmitted

through a solid, liquid, or gas, composed of frequencies within the range of

hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard, or the sensation stimulated

in organs of hearing by such vibrations.

Spectator is an observer of an event or person who looks on or watches; onlooker;

observer.

Transverse waves are motion in which all points on a wave oscillate along paths at

right angles to the direction of the wave’s advance.

Visible light waves are the only electromagnetic waves we can see. We see these

waves as the colors of the rainbow.

Wavelength is the distance between corresponding points of two consecutive waves.

Related Literature and Related Studies

Based on the study, there were different ideas formed about waves.

Waves are responsible for energy transfer. There are two types of waves:

mechanical waves, which require a medium to transfer energy and electromagnetic

waves, which can transfer energy through a vacuum. In this chapter we will focus our

discussions on mechanical waves such as rope waves, water waves, and sound waves.

A wave is a disturbance that moves from one place to another. A wave carries energy

away from the wave source. Wave transfers energy but it does not transfer matter from

one place to another. A wave pulse is a single disturbance while a wave train is a series

of disturbances.

Wave have different kinds. If the motion of the particles is perpendicular to the

direction of propagation of the wave, we have a transverse wave. ex. rope waves &

water waves. A wave that travels in a direction parallel to the direction of motion of

particles of the medium is a longitudinal wave. ex. Sound wave.

Also, waves have different parts. The highest part of a wave is called crest and

the lowest part is called trough. The maximum displacement from the equilibrium

position is called amplitude A of the wave. It is the height of a crest or depth of a trough

measured from the equilibrium position. Particles that are in the same direction of

motion and have the same displacement are said to be in phase. Particles that are in

opposite displacement and opposite direction of motion is said to be out of phase. The

distance between two successive crests or successive troughs or between two

successive particles that are in phase is called the wavelength of a wave. The
wavelength is represented by the Greek symbol (read as “lambda”). In a longitudinal

wave the particles of the medium travel parallel to the direction of the wave motion. A

wave of compression is a stretched region called rarefaction. The frequency f waves is

the number of waves passing through a given point in one second. Frequency is

measured in hertz (HZ). A frequency of one hertz means one wave cycle or one

complete vibration occurs in one second. The time to make one complete wave cycle is

the period. The speed v of a wave is the distance moved by the wave in one second.

Water waves are commonly observed and easily produced. If you touch the

surface of water at one point, you can see circular waves which move outward from the

point of disturbance. The line that joins all identical points or particles is called a wave

front. Reflection of waves is the turning back of waves. Incident waves are waves that

strikes the barrier. Reflected waves are waves that turn back after hitting the barrier.

Law of reflection is the angle of incidence that is equal to the angle of reflection.

Wavelength of water waves is longer in the deep region than in the shallow

region (speed = frequency x wavelength). A decrease in wavelength means a decrease

in speed when the waves travel in shallow meter. Refraction is the change in the

direction of a wave caused by a change in the speed of the wave. Diffraction is the

bending of waves around the edges of barriers or openings. Interference- overlapping of

independent waves as they meet at a certain point. Constructive interference is the

meeting of the troughs of two waves. Destructive interference is the meeting of the crest

of one wave and the trough of another wave. Traveling waves is the propagation of

energy without transfer of matter. Standing waves is confined to a specific region.

Antinodes are the largest displacements. Nodes its displacement is always zero; its
number depends on the frequency of vibration, the total length of the rope, and the force

exerted on the rope. The distance between two successive nodes is equal to one-half of

a wavelength.
 CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the description of the research method used, description of

the problem, the procedures and data gathering instrument used.

RESEARCH DESIGN

This study entitled “Wave Motion” is a qualitative research that attempts to

accumulate existing information and data regarding the causes of waves. Wave motion

can be done by using examples, such as ropes, spring and water. A rope is attached to

an electromagnetic vibrator at one end with the other end going over a pulley and

attaching to a pan of weights. The frequency of vibration is adjusted so that a stationary

wave is produced in the rope for a fixed tension. In a spring, there are two types. When

a pulse of spring wave hits an obstacle having fixed end, it reflects. Reflected wave has

opposite direction, same amplitude and velocity with the incident wave and when a

pulse of a spring comes to an open end obstacle it reflects, like given picture below.

Amplitude, velocity and length of the pulse do not change but its right hand side

becomes left hand side. Any disturbance can cause a water wave. A pebble striking the

surface, movement of a boat, movement of the earth during an earthquake, or the wind.

Here we focus on wind generated waves, although the same principles apply to all

water waves.

SUBJECT OF THE STUDY

This study is subjected to know what the different causes of waves are. This

aims to know the types of waves, how does it travel and how fast waves could travel.
DATA GATHERING INSTRUMENT

This study was achieved by using different sources. Such as experiments on how

waves are produced, surfing the internet for preferable ideas, going to the library for

added information, and based on observations.

DATA GATHERING PROCEDURE

The following questions helped in achieving the result of the research:

1. What are the causes of waves?

2. What are the types of waves?

3. How do waves travel?

4. How fast does it travel?