A wave is a disturbance that moves along a medium from one end to the other. If one watches an ocean wave moving along the medium (the ocean water), one can observe that the crest of the wave is moving from one location to another over a given interval of time. The crest is observed to cover distance. The speed of…
As mentioned earlier, a wave is an energy transport phenomenon that transports energy along a medium without transporting matter. A pulse or a wave is introduced into a slinky when a person holds the first coil and gives it a back-and-forth motion. This creates a disturbance within the medium; this disturbance subsequently travels from coil to coil,…
The nature of a wave was discussed in Lesson 1 of this unit. In that lesson, it was mentioned that a wave is created in a slinky by the periodic and repeating vibration of the first coil of the slinky. This vibration creates a disturbance that moves through the slinky and transports energy from the first coil…
The Anatomy of a Wave A transverse wave is a wave in which the particles of the medium are displaced in a direction perpendicular to the direction of energy transport. A transverse wave can be created in a rope if the rope is stretched out horizontally and the end is vibrated back-and-forth in a vertical direction. If…
Waves come in many shapes and forms. While all waves share some basic characteristic properties and behaviors, some waves can be distinguished from others based on some observable (and some non-observable) characteristics. It is common to categorize waves based on these distinguishing characteristics. Longitudinal versus Transverse Waves versus Surface Waves One way to categorize waves is…
So waves are everywhere. But what makes a wave a wave? What characteristics, properties, or behaviors are shared by the phenomena that we typically characterize as being a wave? How can waves be described in a manner that allows us to understand their basic nature and qualities? A wave can be described as a disturbance that travels through a medium from one location to…
Waves and Wavelike Motion Waves are everywhere. Whether we recognize it or not, we encounter waves on a daily basis. Soundwaves, visible light waves, radio waves, microwaves, water waves, sine waves, cosine waves, stadium waves, earthquake waves, waves on a string, and slinky waves and are just a few of the examples of our daily…
In a previous part of this lesson, the motion of a mass attached to a spring was described as an example of a vibrating system. The mass on a spring motion was discussed in more detail as we sought to understand the mathematical properties of objects that are in periodic motion. Now we will investigate the motion…
A simple pendulum consists of a relatively massive object hung by a string from a fixed support. It typically hangs vertically in its equilibrium position. The massive object is affectionately referred to as the pendulum bob. When the bob is displaced from equilibrium and then released, it begins its back and forth vibration about its fixed equilibrium position….
A vibrating object is wiggling about a fixed position. Like the mass on a spring in the animation at the right, a vibrating object is moving over the same path over the course of time. Its motion repeats itself over and over again. If it were not for damping, the vibrations would endure forever (or at least until…