Unit: Waves Name:_________________

Lesson 1: What are Waves Date: _________________

What are Waves
A wave is: a disturbance or vibration that transfers and transmits energy, but not matter. Example of this is
sound, light, radio waves, earthquakes and etc…

Three types of mechanical waves:

1. Transverse: is when the particle moves perpendicular to the motion of the wave.

Longitudinal: Particles move parallel to the motion of the wave. Examples of this type of a wave occurs through
a solid object like a stretched rope or a trampoline is an example of this type of wave.
2.

3. Surface Waves: Waves travel both in transverse and longitudinal making them travel in a circle.
Example of this are waves in the ocean and ripples in a cup of water.

http://scienceprimer.com/types-of-waves

Parts of a wave

Transverse Wave

Medium: Material that the wave

travels through.
Crest: High point of the wave.
Trough: Low point of the wave.
Amplitude (A): Max displacement
from rest.
Wavelength (l): Distance travelled by
a SINGLE wave.
Pulse: A wave that consists of a single
disturbance.
Energy of a Wave: Energy is proportionate to the amplitude squared. The higher the amplitude, the shorter the
wavelength is, the more energy the wave has à Energy of a wave ∝ amplitude2
Unit: Waves Name:_________________
Lesson 1: What are Waves Date: _________________

Longitudinal Wave:

Compression: Region in the wave where the particles are closer together than normal.
Rarefaction: Region of the wave where the particles are farther apart than normal.

Describing the motion of a wave

USE THE PHET PENDULUM SIMULATOR TO SHOW THE MOTION OF A WAVE

https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/pendulum-lab

Cycle: One complete oscillation is a cycle of a wave.

Frequency: The number of complete cycles per second (in hertz HZ) 1 Hz = 1 cycle/second
Period: Time for one complete cycle (in seconds s)

f = 1/T or T = 1/f
Unit: Waves Name:_________________
Lesson 1: What are Waves Date: _________________

Example #1
A mass hung from a spring vibrates 15 times in 12 seconds. Calculate
a) The frequency
b) The period of vibration

Number of cycles = 15 cycles

Total time = 12 s
f=?
T=?

a) f = number of cycles/total time b) T = total time/number of cycles Or

f = 15 cycles/12 seconds T = 12 seconds/ 15 cycles T = 1/f
f = 1.2 cycles/second or 1.2 Hz. T = 0.80 s/cycle T = 1 / 1.2 Hz
T = 0.80 seconds T = 0.80 s/cycle
T = 0.80 seconds

Example #2

Playing middle C on a piano produces a sound with a frequency of 256 Hz.

a) What does 256 Hz represent?
b) What is the period of the sound wave?

a) 256 Hz is 256 cycles/second. I.E. there are 256 waves of sound every second.
b) T = 1/f
T = 1/256 Hz
T = 0.00391 seconds

Universal Wave Equation

Recall from kinematics that speed à v = d/t

If we look at a single wave then:
1) The distance travelled is one wavelength, l
2) The time is on Period T (1/f)

Therefore, the universal wave equation is:

v = lf

where:
v = speed in m/s
l = wavelength in m
f = is in frequency in Hz.
Unit: Waves Name:_________________
Lesson 1: What are Waves Date: _________________

Example #3
The wavelength of a water wave in a ripple tank is 0.080 m. If the frequency of the wave is 2.5 Hz, what is its
speed?

l = 0.080 m
f = 2.5 Hz
v=?

v = lf à (0.080 m) (2.5 Hz)

v = 0.20 m/s

Example #4
The distance between successive crests in a series of water waves is 4.0m, and the crest travels 9.0 m in 4.5
seconds. What is the frequency of the waves?

d = 9.0 m v = d/t à v = 9.0 m/4.5s à v = 2.0 m/s

t = 4.5 s
l = 4.0 m v = fl à f = v/l à f = 2.0 m/s / 4.0 m à f = 0.50 Hz.
f=?
v=? The frequency of the wave is 0.50 cycles per second or 0.50 Hz
Unit: Waves Name:_________________
Lesson 2: Interference Date: _________________
Interference
Wave Interference: occurs when two or more waves act simultaneously on the same particles of a medium.

Constructive Interference: the interfering waves add Destructive Interference: the interfering waves cancel
up resulting in the medium having a larger amplitude. each other out resulting in the medium having a
smaller amplitude.

Principle of Superposition: At any point the resulting amplitude of two interfering waves is the sum of the
individual waves. I.E. if one wave is 5 units above the axis and the other wave is 3 units below the axis, the
result would be a wave that is 2 units above the axis à 5 - 3 = 2.

Observe the following simulation -

https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/wave-on-
a-string

When a wave hits a fixed end boundary it will

reflect and invert its amplitude.
When a wave hits a free end boundary it will
reflect and does not invert its amplitude.
If a series of waves are sent along a string the
reflected pulse will… interfere with itself.

Type: Destructive
Type: Destructive
Pattern: Flat
Pattern: Flat

Type: Constructive Type: Constructive

Pattern: Larger Pattern: Larger

Amplitude Amplitude
Unit: Waves Name:_________________
Lesson 2: Interference Date: _________________

Type: Destructive Type: Constructive

Pattern: Flat Pattern: Larger

Amplitude

Sample Problems: Interference of Waves

Draw the interference pattern for the combinations of waves shown below. Show your
calculations for the amplitude at each marked ( ) location .
1.
Blue Wave Green Wave Both Waves
6 6 6
4 4 4

+
2 2 2
0
-2
0
-2
= 0
-2
-4 -4 -4
-6 -6 -6

1st dot: Amplitude = 0 + 0 = 0

Check that the
2nd dot: Amplitude = 4 + ____ = 6
amplitudes drawn in the
3rd dot: Amplitude = ____ + ____ = 0 interference pattern
4th dot: Amplitude = -4 + ____ = _____ match the values that
you calculated for each
5th dot: Amplitude = ____ + ____ = _____
‘dot’.
2.
Blue Wave Green Wave Both Waves
6 6 6
4 4 4

+
2 2 2
0
-2
0
-2
= 0
-2
-4 -4 -4
-6 -6 -6

1st dot: Amplitude = 0 + 2 = ____

2nd dot: Amplitude = ____ + -2 = _____
Draw the interference
3rd dot: Amplitude = ____ + ____ = _____
pattern...

4th dot: Amplitude = ____ + ____ = _____

Unit: Waves Name:_________________
Lesson 3: Barriers Date: _________________
Barriers
1. Transmission: describes the process of a wave moving through a
medium or moving from one medium into another medium.

Energy that is put into a wave will define how big the amplitude
of the incident wave is. When a wave goes from one material to
another material with different densities, the amplitude of the
original wave may not be shared equally by the reflected wave
and the transmitted wave.

Energy of a wave:

Law of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be made or destroyed but can be transferred
from one form to another. Thus, the sum of the two amplitudes must equal the amplitude of the
original wave. I.E. the amount of energy from the original wave = the energy in the two new waves.

Also, the wave will move faster through less dense material and slower through the more dense
material.

Finally, since the energy does not change, the frequency of the incident wave is the same frequency of
the reflected and transmitted wave. I.E. the frequency does not change going from one material to
another.

In our example:
• The transmitted pulse (in the more dense medium) is traveling slower than the reflected pulse
(in the less dense medium).
• The transmitted pulse (in the more dense medium) has a smaller wavelength than the reflected
pulse (in the less dense medium).
• The speed and the wavelength of the reflected pulse are the same as the speed and the
wavelength of the incident pulse.

According to our equation, v=lf, if the transmitted pulse moves slower and the wavelength decrease
that means the frequency stays constant.

Example #1 – wave going from less dense to more dense

medium.
Incident Wave
• Amplitude of 6 m, frequency is 5 hz, wavelength is 2
m, therefore the velocity is 10 m/s

Reflected wave
• It loses some energy to the transmitted wave. But its
velocity, wavelength and frequency will be the SAME
as the incident wave.
Unit: Waves Name:_________________
Lesson 3: Barriers Date: _________________
• Amplitude will decrease to 4 m, frequency is 5 hz, wavelength is 2 m, therefore the velocity is
10 m/s

Transmitted wave
• The energy from the incident wave subtracted from the energy of the reflected wave will equal
the energy of the transmitted wave. As such, the transmitted wave will have less energy,
slower speed, a smaller wavelength but the SAME frequency as the incident wave and reflected
wave.
• Amplitude will be 2 m, frequency is 5 hz, wavelength is 1 m and velocity is 5 m/s.

Energy ∝ amplitude2
• This means that a doubling of the amplitude of a wave is indicative of a quadrupling of the
energy transported by the wave. A tripling of the amplitude of a wave is indicative of a nine-
times increase in the amount of energy transported by the wave. And a quadrupling of the
amplitude of a wave is indicative of a 16-times increase in the amount of energy transported by
the wave.
• For example, changing the amplitude from 1 unit to 2 units represents a doubling increase in
the amplitude and is accompanied by a 4-times (22) increase in the energy; thus 2 units of
energy becomes 4 times bigger.
o 1 m amplitude requires 2 joules of energy, then a 2 m amplitude requires 8 joules of
energy.
• As another example, changing the amplitude from 1 unit to 4 units represents a 4 times
(quadrupling) increase in the amplitude and is accompanied by a 16-times (42) increase in the
energy; thus 2 units of energy becomes 16 times bigger.
o 1 m amplitude requires 2 joules of energy, then a 4 m amplitude requires 32 joules of
energy.

Example #1
If a wave has an amplitude of 5 m, and it takes 20 joules of energy to create this wave, how much energy is
needed to make the wave 10 m?

Amplitude doubled therefore Energy ∝ amplitude2 à E = (22) = 4 times more energy is required to double the
amplitude of the wave. Thus, the energy needed is 80 joules of energy.

In Summary
• the wave speed is always greatest in the least dense medium,
• the wavelength is always greatest in the least dense medium,
• the frequency of a wave is not altered by crossing a boundary, i.e. it is constant,
• the reflected pulse becomes inverted when a wave in a less dense medium is heading towards a
boundary with a more dense medium,
• the amplitude of the incident pulse is always greater than the amplitude of the reflected and
transmitted pulse.
Unit: Waves Name:_________________
Lesson 3: Barriers Date: _________________
2. Reflection: When waves bounce off a surface.

If the surface is flat, the angle at which the wave hits

the surface will be the same as the angle
at which it leaves the surface
This is the law of reflection.

The law of reflection can be drawn using ray lines. We draw

the incident ray going into a flat barrier. At 90° to the barrier is a
line called the normal. Whatever the angle was going into the
barrier,
the reflected angle will be the same.

Thus the law of reflection states:

Angle in = Angle out
qi = qr

If the barrier is curved the wave front will

hit and reflection off the parabolic barrier.
The water waves will change direction and head towards
a specific point called the focal point.

3. Refraction: The change in direction and speed of a wave

due to a change of the medium it is going through.
Waves can bend.

This happens when a wave enters a new medium and its

speed changes.

The amount of refracting depends on the medium it is

entering.
As the wave goes from less dense to more dense material,
it slows down and the wavelength decreases.

According to our equation, v=lf, if v and l decrease that

means the frequency stays constant.
Unit: Waves Name:_________________
Lesson 3: Barriers Date: _________________

4. Diffraction: The bending of waves around an

object.

The amount of bending depends on the size of

the obstacle
and the size of the waves.

Large gap creates small wavelength = low

diffraction
Small gap creates large wavelength = large
diffraction

Two Point Interference

Dr. Quantum at the 44 second mark - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfPeprQ7oGc

Unit: Waves Name:_________________
Lesson 5: Sound Waves Date: _________________
Sound Waves
Sound – a form or energy produced by rapidly vibrating objects, that can be heard by the human ear.
Infrasonic – any sound that is lower than 50 Hz
Ultrasonic – and sound that is higher than 20,000 Hz

Frequencies different species can hear:

Human 20 – 20,000 Hz In order for sound to travel it has to travel through a

Dog 15 – 50,000 Hz medium. If there is no medium, there is no sound.
Cat 60 – 65,000 Hz Space is a vacuum, it has no medium, therefore you cannot
Bat 1,000 – 120,000 Hz hear anything in space – it is eerily quiet.
Porpoise 150 – 150,000 Hz
Robin 250 – 21,000 Hz
Frog 50 – 10,000 Hz
Moth 3,000 – 150,000 Hz

Sound travels by the compressing and rarefaction of air molecules. As the molecules compress, the pressure in
the air rises. As they have rarefaction the pressure in the air decreases.

Sound waves are represented as a longitudinal wave. But air pressure is represented as a transversal wave.
Putting the two together can help us better understand the sound wave moving.

Observe the following simulator - https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Physics-Interactives/Waves-and-

Sound/Simple-Wave-Simulator/Simple-Wave-Simulator-Interactive

High Air
Pressure

Low Air
Pressure

Loudness – is related to the energy in the sound wave.

The larger the amplitude, the more energy the wave has, the
louder the sound is.

Pitch – is related to the frequency of a sound wave (having

more waves per second). As the frequency increases, so too
does the pitch and vice versa.

Example – female voices are higher pitched (higher

Unit: Waves Name:_________________
Lesson 5: Sound Waves Date: _________________
frequency) than males whom have lower pitched (lower frequency) voices.

Example #1

The sound from a trumpet travels at a speed of 3.5 x 102 m/s in air. If the frequency of the note played is
3.0x102 Hz, what is the wavelength of the sound wave?

v = 3.5 x 102 m/s v=fl

f = 3.0 x 102 Hz l = v/f
l = ??? l = (3.5 x 102 m/s)/( 3.0 x 102 Hz)
l = 1.2 m

Speed of sound equation in different temperatures:

v = 331 m/s + (0.601 m/s/C)•T

where
v = velocity in m/s
T = is temperature in °C

Example #2

Calculate the speed of sound in air when the temperature is 16°C.

T = 16°C v = 331 m/s + (0.601 m/s/C)•T
v=? v = 331 m/s + (0.601 m/s/C)• 16°C
v = 340.616 m/s
v = 341 m/s

Example #3
If a tuning fork puts out a tone at 440 Hz, what is its wavelength in air at 25ºC? It took Luke .05 seconds to
hear the sound, how far away is he from the tuning fork? What is the wave length?

T = 25°C v = 331 m/s + (0.601 m/s/C)•T d = vt v = fl

v=? v = 331 m/s + (0.601 m/s/C)• 25°C d = (346.025 m/s)(.05 s) l = v/f
t = .05 s v = 346.025 m/s d = 17 m l = 346.025 m/s/440 hz
f = 440 hz v = 346 m/s l = .786420 m
l= l = .786 m.
Unit: Waves Name:_________________
Lesson 7: Doppler Effect and Super Sonic Travel Date: _________________

Doppler Effect and Super Sonic Travel

Doppler Effect - when a source of sound approaches an observer, the observed frequency of the sound
increases; when the source moves away from an observer, the observed frequency of the sound decreases.

Image # 1 – Fire Truck and two

observers.

Long l
As the moving siren passes an observer,
Short l the observer hears a change in the siren’s
sound.

The sound waves are compressed as the

siren approaches the observer and more
spread out as the siren passes the
observer.

Sound Wave
Image #2 – observing the doppler
effect wave

The image on the left has a stationary

source that emits sound with a
Direction
of source particular frequency.

The image on the right has a source

that is moving to the right. This motion
has the effect of decreasing the
distance between the crests of the
sound waves in front of the source and
increasing the distance between the
Source crests of the waves behind the moving
source.

If there was a detector in front of the moving source, it will detect sound with a higher frequency, and if there
was a detector placed behind the moving source will detect sound with a lower frequency; much like our fire
truck example.

Not all moving sources will generate the Doppler effect. The speed of the moving source must be a reasonable
fraction to the speed of the sound; this fraction is approximately 10%.
Unit: Waves Name:_________________
Lesson 7: Doppler Effect and Super Sonic Travel Date: _________________
The moving source must never go faster than the speed of sound, a different phenomenon is experienced when
this happens – sonic booms/shock waves.
Example: Sound wave moving at 332 m/s and a vehicle moving at 30 m/s will generate the Doppler effect
(approximately 10%). A sound wave moving at 332 m/s and a human moving at 2 m/s will not generate the
Doppler effect (approximately .6%).

Doppler Effect Equation

% ± %#
!! = !" $ '
% ± %"

Where :

fs = frequency of the source in hz

f0 = frequency of the observer in hz
v = speed of the sound in the medium in m/s
vo = velocity of the observer in m/s
vs = velocity of the source in m/s

Note:
If the source is moving towards the observer, the speed of the source is considered to be negative. If the source
is moving away from the observer, the speed of the source is considered to be positive.

If the observer is moving towards a stationary sound, the speed of observer is positive. If the observer is
moving away from the source the speed of the observer is considered to be negative.

Example #1 – Source moving towards and away from an observer at rest.

Suppose a fire truck is moving toward a stationary observer at 25.0 m/s. The frequency of the siren on the fire
truck is 800.0 Hz. The speed of sound is 342 m/s. Calculate
a) the frequency detected by the observer as the fire truck approaches
b) the frequency detected by the observer after the truck passes by.

a)

fs = 800 Hz % ± %#
!! = !" $ '
f0 = ? % ± %"
v = 342 m/s
vo = 0 m/s $%& (/"* !
vs = 25 m/s !! = 800 ℎ+ $ ! ' = 863 Hz
$%& +&, (/"
"

source is moving towards object

b)
fs = 800.0 Hz % ± %#
f0 = ? !! = !" $ '
% ± %"
v = 345 m/s
vo = 0 m/s
Unit: Waves Name:_________________
Lesson 7: Doppler Effect and Super Sonic Travel Date: _________________
vs = 25 m/s !! = 800.0 ℎ+ $
$%& (/"* !
' = 746 Hz
!
$%& *&, (/"
"
source is moving away from the object

Example #2 – Observer moving towards and away from the source.

A siren is going off in the middle of the city with a frequency of 745 hz. A cop car is driving towards the siren
at a speed of 40 m/s. It is a cold day in December with the temperature at 0 degrees Celsius.
a) What is the frequency observed by the cop car moving towards the siren?
b) The cop slides on some ice and thus goes past the siren. What is the frequency observed by the cop
car moving away from the siren?
a)

fs = 745 Hz % ± %#
!! = !" $ '
f0 = ? % ± %"
v = 331 m/s at 0° C
!
vo = 40 m/s $$- *%! (/"
vs = 0 m/s !! = 745 ℎ+ $ "
! ' = 835 Hz
$$- *! (/"
"

the object is moving towards the source

b)
fs = 745 Hz % ± %#
!! = !" $ '
f0 = ? % ± %"
v = 331 m/s at 0° C
!
vo = 40 m/s $$- +%! (/"
vs = 0 m/s !! = 745 ℎ+ $ "
! ' = 655 Hz
$$- *! (/"
"

the object is moving away from the source

Example #3 – Both objects moving towards each other.

You are driving on the highway. You're moving forward at a velocity of 30m/s and a police car is barreling
down the opposite side of the highway towards you at 40m/s. The speed of the sound waves emitted is 343m/s
and the frequency is 900Hz. So, what is the perceived frequency by you? (Hint: Since the source is moving
towards you, its velocity is negative. You're also moving towards it, so your velocity is positive.)

fs = 900 Hz % ± %#
!! = !" $ '
f0 = ? % ± %"
v = 343 m/s
vo = 30 m/s (you are the observer) !
$%$ *$! (/"
vs = 40 m/s (the cop is the source of the sound you hear) !! = 900 ℎ+ $ "
! ' = 1108 Hz
$%$ +%! (/"
"
the object is moving away from the source
Unit: Waves Name:_________________
Lesson 7: Doppler Effect and Super Sonic Travel Date: _________________

Subsonic Speeds – When an object travels at a speed less than the speed of sound in air at that location.
Mach 1 Speed – When the speed of an object travels at the equivalent speed of sound in air at that location.
Supersonic Speeds – When the speed of an object travels faster than the speed of sound in air at that location.

Mach Number – a ratio between the speed of an object and the speed of sound.

".//0 #1 23 #45/67
Mach Number = ".//0 #1 "#830

Example #4
What is the Mach number of a plane travelling at 1020. m/s and the air temperature is 12°C?

v = 331 + (.601)(12) = 338.212 m/s

-!&! (/"
Mach Number = $$9.&-& (/" = 3.0

1 2 3 4

1. Object is stopped – it is not moving; sound waves are produced.

2. Subsonic – This is when the doppler effect takes place.
3. Mach 1 – Speed of sound equals speed of object; the source of the sound will always be at the leading
edge of the sound waves that it produces. Notice that these circles are bunched up at the front of the
aircraft. This phenomenon is known as a shock wave.
4. Supersonic – When the speed of the object is faster than the speed of sound that the object produces; i.e.
the source will always be ahead of the sound waves that it produces. This is when a sonic boom sound
will occur.
Unit: Waves Name:_________________
Lesson 7: Doppler Effect and Super Sonic Travel Date: _________________

Sonic Boom - occurs as the result of the piling up of compressional wave

fronts along the conical edge of the wave pattern. These compressional
wave fronts pile up and interfere to produce a very high-pressure zone.
Instead of these compressional regions (high-pressure regions) reaching you
one at a time in consecutive fashion, they all reach you at once. Since every
compression is followed by a rarefaction, the high-pressure zone will be
immediately followed by a low-pressure zone. This creates a very loud
noise. Sonic booms are observed when any aircraft that is traveling faster
than the speed of sound passing overhead. It is not a sign that the aircraft
just overcame the sound barrier, but rather a sign that the aircraft is traveling faster than sound.