Waves & Energy

Part 2

Mechanical & Electromagnetic Waves

Mechanical vs. Electromagnetic waves

It is important to understand that waves transfer energy.

There are two types of waves:

1.

Mechanical waves are waves that travel through matter. The

particles of matter vibrate by pushing together and moving apart, or
by moving up and down as the waves travel through them to transfer
the energy through the medium. They require particles to vibrate.
Sound waves cannot be transferred or transmitted through space.
Why?

Ex. Sound waves, water waves, seismic waves, waves that travel down
a rope.

Mechanical vs. Electromagnetic waves

2. Electromagnetic waves involve electric and magnetic fields.
They are waves that can travel through empty space where
matter is NOT present. Electromagnetic waves transfer energy
through space instead of transferring energy from particle to
particle as is done by mechanical waves.

Ex. radio waves, microwaves, infrared rays, visible light,

ultraviolet rays, x-rays, and gamma rays

Transverse & Longitudinal Waves

Transverse Waves - Spring

Your teacher is going to use a spring to demonstrate

how a transverse wave moves. Please describe and
draw what you see.

Also, consider the following questions:

The energy put into the spring moves in which direction?

Does any of the energy travel back?

How is the energy transferred down the spring?

Describe the motion of the coil with the tape on it as the

pulse traveled through it.

Transverse Waves Class Demo

The entire class will form a transverse pulse. Stand shoulder

to shoulder in a straight line. Create a stadium wave. When
the pulse travels through you, which way did you move?

A wave is a series of pulses occurring at regular time intervals.

Have the person on the right end start a new pulse every three
seconds. Describe and draw the motion of this wave.

Complete the rest of the table on transverse waves.

Longitudinal Waves - Spring

Your teacher is now going to use a spring to

demonstrate how a longitudinal wave moves. Please
describe and draw what you see.

Also, consider the following questions:

The energy put into the spring moves in which direction?

Does any of the energy travel back?

How is the energy transferred down the spring?

Describe the motion of the coil with the tape on it as the

pulse traveled through it.

Longitudinal Waves Class Demo

The entire class will form a longitudinal wave. Line up in a

single file. Place your hands on the shoulders of the person in
front of you. The person at the back of the line will send
some energy to the person at the front of the line by nudging
the person in front of them. When the pulse travels through
you, which way do you move?

A wave is a series of pulses occurring at regular time intervals.

Have the person in the back start a new pulse every two
seconds. Describe and draw the motion of this wave.

Complete the rest of the table on longitudinal waves.

Categorizing Waves

Turn to the Summary Graphic Organizer in your notes.

Complete the first two rows of the graphic organizer. You

will return later to complete the examples.

Energy

How is energy transferred within a

wave?

Energy is transferred when particles vibrate and run into each

other. Wavescantransfer energyover distance without moving
matter the entire distance. For example, an ocean wave can
travel many kilometers without the water itself moving many
kilometers. The water moves up and downa motion known as a
disturbance. It is the disturbance that travels in a
wave,transferring energy.

Watch these videos and describe how the energy is passed from
one bar to the next

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f66syH8B9D8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbgnxzmIL5c

How do waves transfer energy to other

objects?

We will take a look at four examples:

1. Seismic waves

2. Ocean Waves

3. Sound waves

4. Light waves

This animation quickly shows how particles move in each

type of wave:

http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/waves/wavemotion.html

Energy Transfer in Seismic Waves

A seismic wave shakes the

ground. When the ground
shakes, energy is transferred
from the ground to buildings
and can make the buildings
fall down. Seismic waves can
also create tsunamis, cause
landslides and damage
trees. All of this occurs
because of ENERGY
TRANSFER.

Watch these animations for

an example

https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4
nS10xNBfVE

https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=
4Xebwzb3dDE

Energy Transfer in Ocean Waves

When the wave crashes on

the beach it can move
objects (sand, rocks,
driftwood your sand shovel,
etc.). The larger the wave,
the more energy that is
transferred and the more
damage that can be done. A
very large ocean wave is
called a tsunami.

Watch these animations to

observe the motion:

https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yPTa8
qi5X8

https://www.classzone.com/books/e
arth_science/terc/content/visuali
zations/es1604/es1604page01.cfm?c
hapter_no=visualization

Energy Transfer in Sound Waves

Sound waves, like all

waves, are created by
vibrating particles. When
the vibrating particles
reach your ears the sound
wave energy is
transformed into
electrical energy and sent
to your brain.

Watch this video to

further understand:

https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v
=qgdqp-oPb1Q

Energy in Light Waves

Light is tricky, because it does

not just act like a wave; it
also acts like a particle. Watch
this video to understand how.

https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1yIA
pZtLos

This video gives some basics of

the electromagnetic spectrum

https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4t
7gTmBK3g

When you go outside and can

feel the sun warming your skin,
that is an example of energy
transfer from a light energy to
heat energy.
There are several other examples
as well: Getting sunburned,
plantsusing sunlight to make
food, the sun heating the
atmosphere tocreate wind, or
when
sunlight hits a solar panel and is
made into electricity.

How does a change in energy change

a wave?

Amplitude: Which wave has more

energy?

Frequency: Which wave has more

energy?

Summary Questions

Complete the worksheet.

Do not forget to go back and complete the graphic

organizer!