Waves & Sound

Key Points Waves are made up of vibrations and transfer ENERGY from one place to another. There are 2 types: Transverse & Longitudinal

Waves & Sound

Transverse Waves Water Waves, Electromagnetic Spectrum Waves - radio, microwaves, infrared, light, ultraviolet, x- rays, gamma The direction of travel is at a 90 degree angle to the displacement.

Longitudinal Waves Ultrasound & Sound Waves The direction of travel is parallel or in the same direction as the movement of particles of the wave. Ultrasound can be used for industrial cleaning (dislodges dirt), to determine thickness in metals and plastic, and SONAR range.

Equations Frequency = # of waves / Time (s) Wavelength = distance between 2 consecutive points on a wave (e.g. 2 crest or 2 trough) Amplitube (a) = height of wave from MIDDLE point (larger a = more energy) Velocity of wave = frequency * wavelength