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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cDAYFTXq3E&NR=1&feature=endscreen
Frequency - the number of wave crests that pass one place each second
Expressed in hertz (Hz)
1 Hz = 1 wave per second
Based on both its wavelength and speed
For example: if four water waves pass a buoy in one second, then the waves have a
frequency of 4 Hz
Amplitude - measure of the maximum displacement of a material from its rest position (p. 507)
Amplitude is related to the quantity of energy a wave carries with it
o i.e. a tall water wave can carry a surfer farther and faster (high amplitude = lots of
energy)
o dropping a pebble into a pond (low amplitude = not much energy)
In a sound wave (compressional), the material actually moves back and forth, so the
amplitude is measured by the movement of what generates the wave
o i.e. how many millimeters did the speaker move in or out from rest to produce the
sound???
Wave velocity problems: v = f velocity = frequency x wavelength)
1. A wave is generated in a wave pool at a water amusement park. The wavelength is 4.5 m.
The frequency of the wave is 0.75 Hz. What is the velocity of the wave? .75 x 4.5 = 3.38m/s
2. A wave moving along a rope has a wavelength of 1.2 m and a frequency of 4.5 Hz. How fast
is the wave traveling along the rope? 4.5 x 1.2 = 5.4m/s
3. An ocean wave has a length of 10.0 m. The frequency is 2.0 Hz. What is the velocity of the
wave? 2.0 x 10.0 = 20.0m/s
4. A wave moving along a rope has a wavelength of 3.7 m. The frequency is 3.5 Hz. What is
the velocity of the wave?
3.5 x 3.7 = 13.0m/s
5. An ocean wave has a length of 7.5 m and a frequency of 1.5 Hz. What is the velocity of the
wave? 1.5 x 7.5 = 11.3m/s
Chapter 17.4 Sound and Hearing (p. 514)
Sound waves - longitudinal or compression waves that travel through a medium
Properties of Sound Waves:
1. Speed
Takes time for sound to travel from place to place
Sounds waves travel fastest in solids, slower in liquids and slowest in gases
2. Intensity and Loudness
Intensity rate at which a waves energy flows through a given area
Depends on both the waves amplitude and distance from the sound source
Decibel unit that compares the intensity of different sounds
For every 10-decibel increase, the sound intensity increases tenfold
Intensity Level Intensity Level
Sound (decibels) Sound (decibels)
Threshold of human hearing 0 Inside a bus 90-100
Whisper 15-20 Rock concert 110-120
Normal conversation 40-50 Threshold of pain 120
Street noise 60-70 Jet plane taking off 120-160
Loudness physical response to the intensity of sound
As intensity increases, loudness increases
3. Frequency and Pitch
frequency depends on how fast the source of sound is vibrating
pitch frequency of a sound as you perceive it
High frequency sounds have high pitch
Low frequency sounds have low pitch
Summary:
Two main types of wave: mechanical (longitudinal and transverse) and electromagnetic.
Mechanical waves need a medium to transfer energy. Longitudinal are also known as compressional waves.
Sound waves are longitudinal waves. There is no sound in space b/c mechanical waves need a medium!
http://ww2.unime.it/dipart/i_fismed/wbt/mirror/ntnujava/waveType/waveType.html
http://einstein.byu.edu/~masong/HTMstuff/WaveTrans.html
Transverse wave: particles of the medium move perpendicular to the direction of the wave (up and down)
1. Crest: high point
2. Trough: low point
3. Amplitude: height from rest to crest or rest to trough, indicates amount of energy
4. Wavelength: crest to crest or trough to trough
Longitudinal wave:
1. compression: compressed area w/in the coil
2. rarefaction: the spread apart area w/in the coil
3. amplitude: difference b/w the pressures of the compressions and the undisturbed air. The greater the amplitude,
the louder the sound.
4. Wavelength: compression to compression or rarefaction to rarefaction
Samples:
1. What kind of waves transmit energy from the sun to Earth?
A. mechanical B. electromagnetic
C. longitudinal D. sound
3. Use the diagram to the right. Which letters indicate the trough of a
wave? _________
4. Use the diagram to the right. Which letters indicate the crest of a wave? _________
5. A wave is propagating from left to right. The particles of the medium are moving back and forth from left to
right. What is this type of wave know as?
A. mechanical B. longitudinal C. transverse D. electromagnetic
6. Which best describes the interaction of a longitudinal sound wave and matter?
A. Sound waves can only transfer energy through open space or a vacuum.
B. Sound waves transfer energy by pushing matter parallel to the direction of the wave.
C. Sound waves transfer energy through matter, but the medium in not moved.
D. Sound waves can travel through a vacuum and are slowed down by matter.
7. Which is correct?
A. Sound waves cannot move through the vacuum of space, but light waves do not need a medium.
B. Sound waves are transverse waves that cannot move through the vacuum of space, but light waves can.
C. Light & sound waves have identical properties, regardless of whether they are compression waves or transverse
waves.
D. Sound and light can both travel through a vacuum, but those sound waves are never able to reach Earth.
9. Identify the property of electromagnetic waves that is NOT also a property of mechanical waves.
A. can be reflected B. can cause matter to vibrate
C. can travel through a vacuum. D. can transfer energy but not matter
Summary:
http://phet.colorado.edu/sims/wave-on-a-string/wave-on-a-string_en.html
Period: time for a complete cycle (a wavelength) to pass a particular point, measured in s
Frequency: # of wavelengths per second, wave/second = hertz so frequency is measured in Hz
Frequency and period are inversely related so when one increases, the other decreases and vice versa.
If frequency = 2Hz then period = second. If period = second, then frequency = 4Hz.
(Velocity) Speed of sound varies as it travels through different media.
In general, sound waves travel faster in solids and liquids than in gases.
vw = f vw = wave velocity measured in m/s f = frequency measured in Hz = wavelength measured in m
Samples:
1. Light travels at the speed of light 3 x 108 m/s. What is the frequency of a light wave w/ a wavelength of 5 x 10 -9
m?
a. 15 x 10-1 Hz b. 0.6 x 1016 Hz c. 1.67 x 1017 Hz d. 6.0 x 1016 Hz
2. How long does it take a wave to travel 1200m w/ a speed of 3 x 10 8 m/s?
a. 4.0 x 106 s b. 400s c. .04 x 10-8 s d. 4.0 x 10-6 s
3. What is the frequency of a wave that has a wavelength of 350m and a speed of 4830m/s?
A. 4830Hz B. 350Hz C. 13.8 Hz D. 0.072Hz
8. Using the diagram to the left, which wave has the highest
frequency? Top one or Bottom one?
11. What determines the volume of a sound? A. amplitude B. frequency C. Doppler effect D. wavelength
Samples:
1. Which correctly orders the various electromagnetic radiation waves in order from highest to lowest
frequency?
a. x-rays, gamma rays, visible light, microwaves, radiation
b. microwaves, infrared radiation, ultraviolet, gamma rays
c. gamma rays, ultraviolet, visible light, microwaves, radio waves
d. radio waves, visible light, ultraviolet, x-rays, gamma rays
2. Which correctly orders the colors of the visible light spectrum from lowest to highest frequency?
a. blue, violet, yellow, green orange, red b. red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet
c. red, orange, green, yellow, violet, blue d. violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, red
3. Which statement describes the relationships b/w frequency, wavelength, and energy?
a. The shorter the wavelength, the greater the frequency, and the lower the energy.
b. The greater the frequency, the longer the wavelength, and the greater the energy.
c. The lower the frequency, the longer the wavelength, and the greater the energy.
d. The longer the wavelength, the lower the frequency, and the lower the energy.
11. ROYGBIV describes visible light portion of the electromagnetic spectrum with red at one end and violet
at the other end. Which is true?
A. Violet light has a higher frequency and shorter wavelength than red light.
B. Violet light has a lower frequency and shorter wavelength than red light.
C. Violet light has a higher frequency and longer wavelength than red light.
D. Violet light has a lower frequency and longer wavelength than red light.