WAVE

S!
G482

What type
Transverse
of wave?

What
Longitudinal
type of
The way in
wave?
What does
propagation
mean?

which a wave
travels from a
point

Standing waves and Progressive

waves

PROGRES
SIVE

STATIONA
RY

WHICH IS WHICH?

Standing wave

HY DO STATIONARY WAVE OCCUR?

A wave remains in a constant position as a
result of interference between two waves
travelling in opposite directions. E.g. When
the reflected wave interferes with the
incident wave in the string.

Progressive wave

AT IS HAPPENING IN A PROGRESSIVE WAV

The profile of the wave is moving
which indicates a transfer in energy.
Energy is moved in the form of
vibrating particles.

Nodes and Antinodes

WHAT IS A
NODE? NOD
E

ANTINOD
E

WHAT IS AN

Node: Point on a
standing wave
where the wave
has no amplitude

Antinode: Point on a
standing wave
where the
amplitude/displace
ment/particle
movement is
greatest.

Harmonics on strings
st
-1
-120HZ
nd
-2
-120/2HZ
rd
-3
-120/3HZ
-120/4HZ -4th
-120/5HZ -5th
th
-6
-120/6HZ
th
-7
-120/7HZ

Harmonics are different modes of vibrations of

a wave with increasing frequency and
decreasing wavelength.

Harmonics in Pipes
1s
t

1/2

3rd

1
1s
t

5th

1s
t

2nd

3rd

2nd

3rd
Harmoni
c

Waveleng
th

Velocity = Frequency x
wavelength

If you are given the wavelength

and frequency you can work out
the speed.

90c
m

1
waves

FREQUENCY =
120Hz
WAVELENGT
H
90/3 = 30cm
30 x 2 = 60
= 0.60m

120 x 0.6 =

Polarised light
Unpolarised
Light

Light is made up
of a large
number of
transverse
waves pointing
in all directions.

Polarisation
Filter

A polarisation filter
reduces the light in
all directions but
one.

Polarised
light

Therefore the
light becomes
polarised as it is
directed in just
one way.

What happens when you place two

Polarisation filters together at exactly
90 degrees?
Unpolarised
Light

Light is made up
of a large
number of
transverse
waves pointing
in all directions.

Polarisation
Filters

A polarisation
filter reduces the
light in all
directions but
one.

Polarised
light

Another
polarisation filter
reduces the rest
of the light to
nothing.

Therefore
no light is
let
through.

Can you think of an example where

polarisation is at work?

E.g.
Sunglasses

ow does this reduce glare?

Glare is light that is reflected off something
else. When light is reflected off a surface it
becomes polarised. Polaroid sunglasses stop
any polarised light perpendicular to the
direction of the polarisation filter in the

MALUS LAW

WHAT IS MALUS LAW?

Light is made up
of a large
number of
transverse
waves pointing
in all directions.

45
A polarisation
filter reduces the
light in all
directions but
one.

If the filter is at
0 then
45
then100%
only
intensity
50%
intensity
is let is
through.
let
through.

0
90

You have to be able to

give the differences,
similarities and uses of
the different waves in the
electromagnetic spectrum

Similarities
All electromagnetic wave:
1. Travel at the speed of light in a vacuum
2. Are transverse waves
3. Are not deflected by electric or
magnetic fields
4. Can be polarised
5. Can show interference
6. Can show diffraction

Differences
BARE IN MIND! All electromagnetic waves
can be described in terms of Photons. They
are streams of photons traveling like waves,
with each individual photon carrying a
certain amount of energy.
The only DIFFERENCES between the waves,
therefore, is the amount of energy the
photons are carrying. With radio-waves
carrying the least and Gamma-rays the most.

Radio waves

10

What is the wavelength?

10

What is the frequency?

Uses:
Radio waves are used for the RADIO
and radio communication!
Difference wave lengths determines
the channel

Microwaves

10

What is the wavelength?

10

What is the frequency?

Uses:
Speed cameras
Radar
Mobile phones
Microwave ovens

Infrared

10

What is the wavelength?

10

What is the frequency?

Uses:
Heat lamps
Remote controls
Video recorders
Infrared detector (night vision goggles)

Visible light

10

What is the wavelength?

10

What is the frequency?

Uses:
TO SEE THINGS!
Lasers Laser printers, guns, CD
player

Ultraviolet

10

What is the wavelength?

10

What is the frequency?

Uses:
Sterilize products and surgical
equipment
Black light - Detects forged bank
notes
Sun tan Tanning booth

UVA, UVB and UVC

UVA
Penetrating:
Wavelength:
UVB
Why is it most
dangerous?:
Wavelength:
UVC
Penetrating:
Wavelength:

Most penetrating
320-400
Causes sunburn and skin
cancer. Middle penetration.
290-320
Cannot get through Ozone
layer
200-290

X-rays

10

What is the wavelength?

10

What is the frequency?

Uses:
Used by doctors to examine internally
Used by airport security to check for
illegal substances
Helps astronomers detect things in
space that emit x-rays

Gamma Rays

10

What is the wavelength?

10

What is the frequency?

Uses:
To kill cancer cells in radio therapy
Used to sterilize products

Superposition
The displacement of a medium caused by two or
more waves us the algebraic sum of the
displacement of the waves.

CONSTRUCTIVE
INTERFERENCE
DESTRUCTI
VE
INTERFERE
NCE

hat type of interference are the wave

Path difference and Phase difference

Phase Difference
Difference in distance of
two similar points (x
axes) from two waves
(Red and Blue) and
expressed as an angle in
radians.
Path Difference
The difference between
the distance travelled for
each
wave from the origin to a
point of interference.
E.g. point C. S2 = 6 and
S1 =4

Coherence
What is coherence?
If they are coherent then they will have
the SAME velocity and be in a
constant phase relationship.

Young double-slit
experimentWhat do you
D

x
How do we accomplish this with
light?
o To do this with light you must direct
a single laser lamp through two
slits.
o This creates two coherent point
sources and the same wavelength

witness in this
experiment?
You witness:
the interference
pattern from two
different sources
with the same
wavelength.
Work out the
wavelength using
What do
the youngs
formula the
symbols
stand
a = fringe spacing
for?
D = Distance from screens
to slits
X = spacing between slits
= Wavelength

=
ax/D

 = ax / D
Q. Calculate the separation between one
region of intensity and the next along
the line.
=
30mm
0.2
m

5.0
m

=
30mm
A. 1. Rearrange: = ax / D to D / x = a
2.Put 30mm into 0.03m
3.Substitute: 0.03m x 5.0m / 0.2 =
a = 0.75

Diffraction Grating
What does the
mean?
Wavelength of
light ()

n=3

What does the d

mean?
Distance between
grating (d)

n=2
n=1

n=0
n=1

dsin =
n

n=2
What does the n
mean?
Angle between the
incident beam and

n=3

dsin = n
Exampl
e:

Yellow Laser light of

wavelength 600nm (6 x
10m) is transmitted through
a diffraction grating of 4 x 10
lines per metre.
First work out
Diffraction grating
= 1/(4 x 10) or 4 x 10
Q. At what angle to the
normal are the first and
second order bright
lines seen?
A. n = 1
A. n = 1
(4 x 10) x sin = 2 x (6 x 10
(4 x 10) x sin = 1 x (6 x
)
10 )
sin = 2 x (6 x 10)/(4 x 10)
sin = 1 x (6 x 10)/(4 x
sin =
10)
=

n=3
n=2
n=1
n=0
n=1
n=2
n=3

Diffraction Grating
Q. Why would you use a diffraction
grating for light?
A. Because you get sharper interference
patterns through more slits.
Q. If you shine white light through a
diffraction grating what do you get?
= SPECTRA
REMEMBER = Sin values grater than one
are impossible. Light cant be scattered for
more than 90

Intensity

Define intensity
The rate of flow of
energy per unit area.
Intensity = P/A!

Wave definitions
Define:

Definitions:

Amplitude

Distance from the mean

position expressed as a
vector
2 times the amplitude
Time taken for one
complete oscillation
Number of waves
passing a point per unit
time
Distance travelled by
the wave per unit
time

Displacement
Period
Frequency
Speed of wave