Waves

• Amplitude is the maximum displacement of a wave from its equilibrium position.
• All waves transfer energy without transferring matter
• Longitudinal waves have oscillations parallel to the direction of energy transfer
• Particles bunch up in compressions and spread out in rarefactions in longitudinal waves
• Transverse waves have oscillations perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer
• Waveform representation includes displacement on the y-axis and peak amplitude on the x-axis
• The wave equation is V = fλ, where V is wave speed, f is frequency, and λ is wavelength
• Visible light wavelengths range from around 400 to 750 nm
• Intensity of a wave is proportional to the amplitude squared
• Refraction occurs when light waves move from one medium to another, changing speed and wavelength
• Refractive index (n) is the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed in the medium
• Snell's Law: N1sinθ1 = N2sinθ2, where N is refractive index and θ is the angle of incidence or refraction
• Total internal reflection occurs when the angle of incidence is greater than the critical angle
• Optic fibers work based on total internal reflection and the refractive index of materials
• Modal dispersion in optic fibers can be mitigated by making the fiber thin or using repeaters
• Lenses use refraction to converge or diverge light rays
• Lens power is the reciprocal of focal length and total power is the sum of individual powers
• The lens equation is 1/f = 1/u + 1/v, where f is focal length, u is object distance, and v is image distance
• Polarizing filters transmit light waves of certain orientations, polarizing the light
• Progressive waves move while stationary waves have points that do not move, forming nodes and antinodes
• Superpositioning occurs when two waves meet, resulting in constructive or destructive interference
• Stationary waves can be formed in strings or tubes of air, with nodes and antinodes at specific points
• Thomas Young's double-slit experiment demonstrated interference patterns with bright and dark fringes
• Sound waves can also exhibit interference patterns with Maxima and Minima
• Young's double-slit equation is W = λd/s, where W is fringe spacing, λ is wavelength, d is slit-screen distance, and s is slit separation
• Single-slit diffraction patterns occur due to defraction at the edges of the slit
• Gratings produce diffraction patterns with constructive interference at specific points called orders
• The equation for grating diffraction is nλ = d sinθ, where n is the order, d is line spacing, λ is wavelength, and θ is angle
• When changing wavelength, the order of fringes changes inversely, while changing line spacing affects the number of visible orders