chapter 8 - general wave properties

• wave energy

  • wave --> energy is transferred between two points through vibrations
  • energy is transferred from one point to another without transferring matter between the two points
• transverse and longitudinal waves

  • transverse waves --> direction of wave /energy is perpendicular to vibrations of the particles

  --> particles vibrates up and down

  • longitudinal waves --> direction of wave/energy is parallel to the vibration of particles

  --> particles vibrates back and forth
• transverse and longitudinal waves

  > ripple tank

  • wavefront of a wave is an imaginary line that joins all the peaks of a wave
  • the direction of travel of a wave is perpendicular to the wavefront
  • distance between 2 wavefronts is the wavelength of the wave

  > 2 type of wavefronts : plan and circular
• any type of wave movement

  1. only energy is transferred
  2. matter does not move