Properties+of+Waves

=Properties of Waves=

Summary
Waves exist throughout our oceans, lands, the atmosphere and even space. They are not visible with naked eye and are not visible. In everyday life waves may travel in many shapes, sizes and in any area or space. Waves may be sound waves, visible light waves, radio waves, microwaves that can travel through living objects, inanimate objects and even through vacuums (empty space). Waves do not transfer matter and medium, they transfer and transport energy. Matter is the medium a mechanical wave uses to travel through.

There are many aspects and parts that make up waves such as: media type="youtube" key="tJW_a6JeXD8" width="425" height="350" align="right"
 * amplitude
 * wavelength
 * crest
 * trough
 * period
 * frequency
 * oscillation
 * Equation (//Wave Speed = Freq. x// // l // )
 * Relationship between waves and energy

= Amplitude = Amplitude is made of how much energy a certain wave has, the more energy, the higher altitude and the less energy, the lower amplitude. Amplitude in a diagram or photo is how far the crest of the wave is (look at diagram 3). A piece of aluminium which is 30 meters long hung 5cm in the air by 2 pieces of string holding up each end. If a pulse is introduced from a person hitting the pole lightly by a hammer it will be a low energy energy wave meaning it has low amplitude and the particles of the medium will be slightly displaced. If another pulse is introduced from another person hitting the pole heavily and hardly by a hammer a very high energy wave will be created meaning it will have a high amplitude and the particles of the medium will be extremely displaced.

=Wavelength= Wave length is basically one complete cycle of a particular wave. As you can see on the diagram the wavelength is measured from the middle of each crest or trough of one cycle of the wave. Waves are repeating patterns, using wavelength, we are able to understand how wide each wave pattern is which gives us a better understanding of waves.

Crest
The crest is the point of the wave in which the medium exhibits on the maximum of positive and upward displacement made by a wave. They are opposite to Troughs.

Troughs
The trough is the place where the wave medium exhibits on the maximum or highest end of a downward and negative displacement made by a wave. They are opposite to Crests. = =

=Frequency= This is an everyday word used in the english language for example 'how many times do you brush your teeth' and a response may be '2 times each day' which is how frequent the respondent cleans their teeth. Frequency in scientific or mathematical terms is quite similar but is used for scientific or mathematical equations etc.

The frequency of a wave is the amount of times a wave may make one wave i an amount of time but this is called 'hertz which is a unit in frequency', e.g. every 0.00371 seconds a wave is created by a hammer lightly introducing a pulse to an object. The hertz or frequency of a wave can also be measured by each second, e.g. every second 104.8 waves are created by a pulse being introduced to the floor if someone stomps on it.

Period
This is an everyday word in the english language but is quite different but still similar in scientific and mathematical terms. When using the word period to describe waves, it basically means the time it takes for the wave to make one vibrational cycle. This word always means measure units in seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years etc.

=Oscillation= Oscillation is basically is the position of waves which occur regularly. For example the diagram shown below, this show that it will keep bopping up and down regularly because of the weight of the orange square. If the orange square did not exist in this diagram no signs of oscillation or waves will exist. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =Equation= The equation of a wave determines the speed of a wave, if you have information about the waves wavelength and the period of the wave. Seeing the frequency is common to the period an expression speed=wavelength/frequency can be used to find the speed of a wave.

v = The speed of a wave f = The frequency of a wave = The wavelength of a wave

So as a short term, speed = wavelength/frequency can be rewritten as **v = f • .**



=The relation between energy and waves= Waves with high energy always will have a low wavelength (e.g. Gamma rays) and waves with low energy will always have high wavelength (radio waves). This occurs because high energy waves are vibrating fast, moving much faster therefore the wave must create lots of in a tight space meaning the wavelength will never be high in this situation. Also in that situation the frequency will always be high will a wave with high energy because if it need to make lots of waves in tight space the frequency has to be high.

An example may be two people, one person with long legs and one with short legs. For each person to walk at 2 km/h, the person with the long legs will have a longer step therefore taking less steps to maintain 2km/h, so the person with short legs will have a smaller step therefore having to take more steps to maintain 2km/h. The person with the short legs will have to use more energy, so the person with the long legs with long legs would use less energy like a wave.