Objectives
Identify and measure basic characteristics of a wave.
Compare the 3 different shape of waves.
Convert between frequency and period of a wave.
Calculate a wave speed.
Compare electromagnetic to mechanical waves.
Describe the conditions in which waves are reflected.
Determine the result of two interfering waves.
Apply wave theory to ocean, earthquake, sound and light waves.
Keywords
Ocean wave
trough
crest
wavelength
amplitude
(wave) period
frequency
speed
tsunami
medium
constructive interference
destructive interference
Resources
Warm-ups
2/11 - Why do ocean waves break in shallow water? If you are a surfer, what type of ocean floor are you looking for to get the best waves?
2/16 - Watch Glass music-Dance of the sugar plum fairy-Tchaikovsky - youtube.com
The frequency of a sound wave is described as pitch. What differences are there between the wine glasses that produce a low pitch sounds and those that produce high pitch sounds?
Make a hypothesis: What is going on to make a wine glass sing?
- List at least 4 possible causes of a tsunami?
Websites
Waves Tutorial - physicsclassroom.com
By Topic
Traveling Waves vs. Standing Waves (Question 1)
Forced Vibration (Question 2, a Sympathetic Vibration is Forced Vibration followed by Resonance)
Resonance (Questions 2, 3)
Interference of Waves (Question 4)
Beats (Question 5)
The Doppler Effect (Question 6)
Wave Interactions - reflection, refraction, and diffraction
Wave Interference - constructive, destructive, and standing waves
Acoustics and Vibration Animations by Daniel A. Russell - acs.psu.edu
Superposition of Waves - Constructive and destructive interference, standing waves, and beats.
Old Links
Sound - phet.colorado.edu - Simulates pitch, volume, reflection, and refraction of sound waves.
Fourier - phet.colorado.edu - See and hear the effects of adding different frequency waves together.