SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave Lesson 4 LEARNING OUTCOMES Upon the completion of this lesson, you

should be able to: state definition of wave determine type of wave list down properties of waves recognize the electromagnetic spectrum state the phenomena involving Light waves state the phenomena involving Sound waves

SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave WAVES

Introduction A wave is a travelling (propagation) disturbance that moves energy from one location to another without transferring matter. Oscillations in a medium or material create mechanical waves that propagate away from the location of the oscillation. For example, a pebble dropped into a pool of water creates vertical oscillations in the water, while the wave propagates outward horizontally along the surface of the water.

The Properties of Waves

There are two types of waves: longitudinal and transverse. Light and other electromagnetic waves are examples of transverse waves. In a transverse wave the vibrations are at right angles to the direction of the wave.

Sound is an example of a longitudinal wave and travels as a result of particles vibrating in the same direction as the wave is travelling. There are regions of rarefaction and compression.

SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave

The speed travelled by a wave depends on the substance or medium it is travelling through. All waves have the following features:
they have a repeating shape they have a frequency, wavelength and amplitude they carry energy without moving the material along.

Longit

rse waves

udinal waves

oscillate

perpendicular

to

the oscillate parallel to the direction of propagation. E.g. Sound waves

direction of propagation. E.g. Light waves, Water waves

SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave

Characteristic of a wave Definition Wavelength Frequency Amplitude The length of the repeating pattern The number of repeating patterns which pass a point each second The maximum displacement of the mediums vibration

On what does the amplitude of a wave depend? The amplitude of a rope wave depends on how hard you shake it. For a sound wave it depends on how much compression the loud speaker or musical instrument creates. In other words, it depends on the energy the source put into the wave. It does not depend on frequency, wavelength, or velocity.

Does the amplitude of a wave depend on distance from the source? The energy carried in a wave depends on the waves amplitude and its velocity. Waves can be put into two categories: those that spread, like water waves on a pond, sound waves, or electromagnetic waves; and those that are confined to a narrow region, like waves on a rope or electrical oscillations on a wire. A water wave spreads on the surface of a pond, lake, wide river, or ocean. As it spreads its energy is spread over a larger area, so the energy transmitted to a particular location is reduced when the source is farther away. Therefore the amplitude of the water wave is also reduced in proportion to the distance from the source. Sound and electromagnetic waves usually spread in two dimensions. Again, as they spread the energy carried is also spread, so as the distance from the source is increased, the amplitude is decreased, but this time as the square of the distance.

SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave The speed of a wave in a given medium is constant. The relationship between speed, wavelength and frequency is given by the formula: wave speed (v) = frequency (f) wavelength () v=f For example: A loudspeaker makes sound waves with a frequency of 600 Hz. The waves have a wavelength of 0.55 m. Calculate the speed of the sound waves. v=f = 600 X 0.55 = 330 m/s X Wave speed is measured in metres per second (m/s), frequency in hertz (Hz) and wavelength in metres (m).

The Electromagnetic Spectrum Electromagnetic waves consist of two transverse waves: one an oscillating electric field, the other a corresponding magnetic field perpendicular to it. Light, infrared, ultraviolet, radio, and X rays are all examples of electromagnetic waves. The electromagnetic spectrum is a family of different kinds of transverse waves. The waves all travel at the same speed in a vacuum (the speed of light, 300 000 000 m/s) but have different wavelengths and frequencies.

What is the electromagnetic spectrum? The electromagnetic spectrum is the wide range of electromagnetic (EM) waves from low to high frequency. The spectrum ranges from low-frequency radio waves, all the way to gamma rays, which have a very high frequency. In the middle of the spectrum is a small region containing the frequencies of light.

SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave The visible spectrum, part of the electromagnetic spectrum, can be produced by passing a beam of white light through a prism. As the different colours in the visible spectrum have different wavelengths and frequencies, they are refracted by different amounts as they pass through the prism.

Light Waves Light is reflected at shiny polished surfaces such as mirrors. When reflection occurs the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection. The angles of incidence and reflection are measured to an imaginary line drawn at right angles to the mirror surface, known as the normal.

Light is refracted when it travels from air into glass and vice versa. Lenses are commonly used to refract light.

SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave Type of mirror Plane Concave Convex Type of image Same size as object Magnified (if object close to mirror) Smaller than the object Uses Household dressing mirror, periscope Make up/ shaving mirrors close to mirror) Car driving mirror, shop security mirror

When rays of light pass from a dense medium into a less dense medium they are refracted away from the normal. When the angle of incidence exceeds a certain value the ray is reflected internally rather than being refracted. This process is known as total internal reflection and the angle of incidence at which refraction stops is called the critical angle. This explains how fibre optic cables work.

Sound Waves Sound is a longitudinal wave that travels at a speed of 340 m/s in the air. Sound is caused by vibrations. The frequency of a sound wave is called its pitch; the amplitude is the loudness of the sound and is measured in decibels. Sound with a frequency above the range the human ear can detect is known as ultrasound. Ultrasound is used in echo sounding or SONAR. For example: A ship sends out an ultrasound wave and receives an echo in 0.5 s. What is the depth of the water? Distance = speed X time = 1500 X 0.5 = 750 m Depth = distance = 375 m.

SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave

SOUND perceptive Try to solve. The diagrams A to I show the traces on a CRO screen that are produced when a microphone is used to sample various sound.

(a) Which of the traces is due to the quietest sound? (b) Which of the traces is due to the loudest sound? (c) Which of the traces could be due to a human voice? (d) Which of the traces corresponds to complete silence? (e) Which of the traces is due to a high pitched sound? (f ) Which of the traces is due to a low pitched sound? (g) Which of the traces is due to a loud high pitched sound? (h) Which of the traces is due to a loud low pitched sound?

SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave

Try to compare light and sound under the following heading sound Speed Wave type (transverse / longitudinal) A source of this type of wave How can it be detected? Can it travel through a vacuum? Can it travel through water? Can it travel through a solid? Example of reflection light

Example of refraction Example of diffraction Example of energy transfer

SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave Wave phenomena: Example of Reflection, Refraction Diffraction of Light, Water, and Sound Waves

Wave Reflection

Figure shows Law of reflection

1. Reflection is the phenomenon of changes in direction of wave propagation when a wave strikes an obstacle. 2. Normal : Line that perpendicular to the obstacle's surfaces. 3. Incident wave : Waves that move towards the obstacles. 4. Angle of incident, i : Angle between the direction of propagation of incident wave and the normal. 5. Reflected wave : Wave which has undergone a change in direction of propagation after reflection. 6. Angle of reflection, r : Angle between the direction of propagation of reflected wave and the normal. 7. Law of Reflection : If the direction of propagation of the incident wave, direction of propagation of the reflected wave, and the normal are on the same plane, therefore;

ir
8. Reflection of waves does not change the value of wavelength, and frequency, f. 9. Incident waves and reflected waves have the same wave speed, V.

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SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave

Patterns of water wave reflections.

Plane waves Circular waves

Wave refraction

Photo shows the effect of light refraction; spoon looks bent in the glass filled with water
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SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave 1. Refraction is the change in the direction of propagation of a wave caused by a change of wave speed when the wave propagates across two different mediums. 2. However, the wave has the same frequency.

Water waves refraction

Figure shows Wave speed and wavelength changes according to water depth

Characteristic Speed Wavelength Frequency Direction of propagation

From deep to shallow

Decrease Decrease Unchanged Refract towards normal

From shallow to deep

Increase Increase Unchanged Refract away from normal

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SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave

Sound waves refraction

Sound refraction in the daytime In the day, the air above the ground is hotter than the air higher in the atmosphere. As sound travels from hot air to cold air, its speed decreases and refracts towards normal. Hence, the sound wave curves upwards.

Sound refraction at night At night, the air above the ground is colder than the air higher in the atmosphere. As sound travels from cold air to hot air, its speed increases until a point where the angle of incident is greater than the critical angle and total internal reflection occurs. Hence, the sound wave curves downwards.

Wave diffraction
1. Diffraction occurs when a wave:a. Meet with an obstacle b. Pass through a gap

2. Effects of the diffracted waves:-

Direction patterns Amplitude,a

of

propagation

and Changed Decreases Unchanged Unchanged Unchanged

Frequency, f Wave speed, v Wavelength,

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SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave 3. Diffraction is more visible when:a. The wavelength, of the wave is bigger b. The obstacle is smaller than the wavelength c. The gap is smaller than the wavelength

Wave interference
1. Interference is the effect of superposition of two or more waves from two or more coherent sources. 2. The waves from coherent sources have the same frequency, same wavelength and constant phase difference. 3. Interference occurs when two or more waves meet and superposed while travelling in the same medium.

Principle of superposition
1. The principle of superposition states that when two waves meet at the same point, the resultant displacement at that point is equal to the vector sum of the displacements produced by the individual waves at that point.

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SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave

The constructive interference

Occurs when two crests or two troughs meet each other. Produce a maximum amplitude, a

The destructive interference

Occurs when a crest meets a trough. Resultant amplitude, a is zero

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SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave Check Yourself Question1 Are electromagnetic waves transverse or longitudinal?

Question 2 The parts of the electromagnetic spectrum are shown below:

(a) What is the name of part A? (b) What is the name of part B? (c) Which waves have the higher frequency, radio or X-rays? (d) Which waves have the higher wavelength, radio or g-rays? (e) Give one use of g-rays. (f) What do all the parts of the electromagnetic spectrum have in common?

Question 3 Look at the drawing of a transverse wave. (a) Which letter shows the trough of the wave? (b) Which letter shows the amplitude of the wave? (c) The wavelength is the distance between which two letters?

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SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave Question 4 Give one use of each of the following: (a) a convex mirror. (b) a concave mirror. Question 5 Look at the diagram, which shows a ray of light passing from medium A into medium B. (a) What name is given to the bending of light in this way? (b) Which medium is more dense, A or B? Explain your answer.

Question 6 Explain how total internal reflection occurs.

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SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave

References

Abruscato, J. (2004). Teaching Children Science: A Discovery Approach, (6th Ed.). Ally & Bacon. Bloomfield, L.A. (2001). How Things Work: The Physics of Everyday Life, (2nd Ed.). John Wiley: New York. Griffith, W.T. (2004). The Physics of Everyday Phenomena: A Conceptual Introduction to Physics, (4th Ed.). McGraw Hill: New York. Hewitt, P.G (2010). Conceptual Physics, (11th Ed.). Pearson Education Inc.: Illinois. Surya, Y. (1996). Olimpiade Fisika. Jakarta: Primatika Cipta Ilmu. Yeoh, T. P. and Chong, C. S. (2010). Score A+ in SPM Physics. Bangi, Selangor: Penerbitan Pelangi Sdn. Bhd. Sunley, C., & Smith, M. (2001). Instant Revision GCSE Science (5th Ed.). Hammersmith: HarperCollins. Zitzewitz, P. W. (2011). The Handy Physics Answer Book (2nd Ed.). Detroit: Visible Ink Press.

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SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave Answer to Check Yourself *red is explanation 1 Transverse.(1). Sound waves are the most common longitudinal waves. 2 (a) Infra-red. (1) (b) Ultra-violet. (1) (c) X-rays. (1)Higher frequency waves have more energy. (d) Radio waves. (1) As the speed of a wave, v = f l, and v is constant, waves with low frequency have high wavelength. (e) Killing cancer cells. (1) g-rays have very high frequency and energy and have great penetrating power (higher than X-rays). They have to be directed very carefully at the cancer cells as they can kill healthy cells as well. Other uses include sterilising equipment/food and in a gamma camera. (f)They all travel at the same speed. (1) This speed is the speed of light. 3 (a) C. (1) This is the opposite of the crest (A or E). (b) F. (1) (c) A and E. (1) The wavelength must include the whole repeating pattern. 4 (a) One from: car driving mirror/ shop security mirror. (1) This gives an image smaller than the object. (b) One from: make-up/ shaving mirror. (1) This gives a magnified image. 5 (a) Refraction. (1) (b) Medium B is the more dense. Light bends towards the normal when passing into a denser medium. (1) When light travels from a more dense to a less dense medium it bends away from the normal. 6 If light hits a surface at an angle greater or equal (1) to the critical angle (1), then it will be reflected rather than refracted (1).

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