Tuesday 3 May 2011

Form 5 - Chapter 1 Understanding Waves

Example of Waves




Learning Requirements :



 Waves
 
- An oscillation or vibrating motion in which a point or body moves back and forth along a line about a fixed central point produces waves.
- An oscillating or vibrating system acts as the source of waves which transfer energy from one point to another ( without transferring matter).
 Source of vibration
 

Propagation (Traveling of waves)

- When a waves travels through a medium, the particles of the medium vibrate about their equilibrium positions.
- However, the particles of the medium do not travel in the direction of the wave.
- A wave transfer energy and the momentum from the source of the wave (the oscillating or vibrating system) to surrounding.




Summary 

Waves are produced by vibrating systems. 
Waves transfer energy. Waves that travel through a medium transfer energy without transferring matter. 
•  In transverse waves, the direction of wave propagation is perpendicular to the of vibration of the particles. 
In longitudinal waves, the direction of wave propagation is parallel to the direction of vibration of the particles. Longitudinal waves need a medium to propagate. This type of waves cannot propagate through vacuum.


Continue Part 2

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