wave
Travelling oscillating disturbance that carries energy without transfer of mass
[!abstract] wave pulse
Single disturbance, e.g. one jerk of a rope
Properties
amplitude
Maximum displacement of particlesSym.
period
Time taken for one peak to pass through a pointAnt.
frequency
wave direction
Transverse: motion of medium perpendicular to direction of propagation
Longitudinal: motion of medium parallel to the direction of propagation
Types
- Mechanical: propagates through a physical medium
[!example] Sound, ocean wave
- Electromagnetic
- Gravitational
- Matter
Representation
Snapshot: displacement as a function of position at a given moment in time
History graph: displacement as a function of time at a given point in space
3D: both time and space
+
The leading edge is in the direction of the wave in snapshot.
The leading edge always comes first (left) in history graph.
=> the snapshot and the history graph are reversed for a wave going right.