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The nature of waves

The nature of waves. January 6, 2014. What is a wave?. Any disturbance that transmits energy through matter or empty space Ex. Water waves Sound waves Light waves Any electromagnetic waves P and S waves. Do waves actually move matter any distance?.

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The nature of waves

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  1. The nature of waves January 6, 2014

  2. What is a wave? • Any disturbance that transmits energy through matter or empty space • Ex. Water waves Sound waves Light waves Any electromagnetic waves P and S waves

  3. Do waves actually move matter any distance? • No, waves only transfer (move) energy not matter • Ex. A boat on a pond only goes up and down as waves pass

  4. Are there different parts of a wave? • Yes, the crest and trough • Crest – the highest point of a wave • Trough – the lowest point on a wave How are waves measured? amplitude – distance from trough or crest to the resting point frequency – amount of crests that pass in a given amount of time

  5. Are all waves the same? • Two types: • 1. transverse – wave in which the particles of the medium move perpendicularly (at right angles) to the direction a wave is moving • Ex. Water waves

  6. 2. Longitudinal – wave in which the particles of the medium vibrate parallel to the direction of the wave • Ex. Sound waves

  7. Can there be combinations of waves (transverse and longitudinal) • Yes, they are called surface waves • Bottle bobbing in water as waves pass, • Bottle moves up and down (transverse) • Bottle is compressed ( compression) and then released (rarefaction)

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