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how do waves work physics

by Reynold Schuppe Published 1 year ago Updated 1 year ago
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Waves are said to be an energy transport phenomenon. As a disturbance moves through a medium from one particle to its adjacent particle, energy is being transported from one end of the medium to the other. In a slinky wave, a person imparts energy to the first coil by doing work upon it.

Full Answer

What are some examples of waves in physics?

Types of Waves:

  • Transverse Waves. ...
  • Longitudinal Wave: A longitudinal wave has the movement of the particles in the medium in the same dimension as the direction of movement of the wave.
  • Electromagnetic Waves: Radio signals, light rays, x-rays, and cosmic rays.
  • Mechanical waves: A wave which needs a medium in order to propagate itself. ...

More items...

What are the properties of waves in physics?

Introduction of Waves

  • Transfers energy.
  • Usually involves a periodic, repetitive Movement.
  • Does not result in a net movement of the medium or particles in the medium (mechanical wave).

What does wave mean in science?

What does waves mean in science? Waves involve the transport of energy without the transport of matter . In conclusion, a wave can be described as a disturbance that travels through a medium,...

What are all the types of waves?

“In the third observation run of LIGO and Virgo, we have begun to detect the more elusive types of gravitational wave events,” said Debnandini Mukherjee, a postdoctoral researcher at Penn State and a member of the LIGO collaboration. “This has ...

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How do you explain waves to a child?

Waves are a pattern of motion that transfer energy from place to place without transferring matter. There are different types of waves. Sound waves travel through air and allow us to hear sound. Water waves move on top of water.

What are waves physics simple?

Waves are one of the ways in which energy may be transferred between stores. Waves can be described as oscillations , or vibrations about a rest position. For example: sound waves cause air particles to vibrate back and forth.

How does a wave travel?

In a wave phenomenon, energy can move from one location to another, yet the particles of matter in the medium return to their fixed position. A wave transports its energy without transporting matter. Waves are seen to move through an ocean or lake; yet the water always returns to its rest position.

What causes a wave?

Waves are most commonly caused by wind. Wind-driven waves, or surface waves, are created by the friction between wind and surface water. As wind blows across the surface of the ocean or a lake, the continual disturbance creates a wave crest.

How does energy move in a wave?

In a wave phenomenon, energy can move from one location to another, yet the particles of matter in the medium return to their fixed position. A wave transports its energy without transporting matter. Waves are seen to move through an ocean or lake; yet the water always returns to its rest position.

How do waves transport energy?

Waves are said to be an energy transport phenomenon. As a disturbance moves through a medium from one particle to its adjacent particle, energy is being transported from one end of the medium to the other. In a slinky wave, a person imparts energy to the first coil by doing work upon it.

What is a disturbance that travels through a medium from one location to another?

A wave can be described as a disturbance that travels through a medium from one location to another location. Consider a slinky wave as an example of a wave. When the slinky is stretched from end to end and is held at rest, it assumes a natural position known as the equilibrium or rest position.

How does a slinky wave work?

In a slinky wave, a person imparts energy to the first coil by doing work upon it. The first coil receives a large amount of energy that it subsequently transfers to the second coil. When the first coil returns to its original position, it possesses the same amount of energy as it had before it was displaced.

How to introduce a wave into a slinky?

To introduce a wave into the slinky, the first particle is displaced or moved from its equilibrium or rest position. The particle might be moved upwards or downwards, forwards or backwards; but once moved, it is returned to its original equilibrium or rest position.

Why do waves vibrate?

The particles of the medium (water molecules, slinky coils, stadium fans) simply vibrate about a fixed position as the pattern of the disturbance moves from one location to another location.

What is the medium through which a wave travels?

In the case of a water wave in the ocean, the medium through which the wave travels is the ocean water.

What is sound waves?

In the air, however, sound waves are actually pressure variations -- regions of molecular compression pushing onward. Imagine sound traveling from a stereo to your ears. Speakers like the one pictured vibrate, causing molecules in their path to vibrate in the same way and push together into compressed regions.

What are the two types of waves?

There are two kinds of waves we should consider. Those wiggly ones I mentioned before are called "transverse waves", and they represent the way in which sound might travel across a string, for example. In the air, however, sound waves are actually pressure variations -- regions of molecular compression pushing onward.

Why do people use string waves?

So here, people use pictures of string-like waves to visualize patterns of compression, in which there's really no sideways movement.

Is sound traveling in waves?

A: Great question! The idea of sound traveling in waves can be difficult to grasp. When we think waves, we to tend picture long, wiggly strings moving through the air. In fact, the motion of sound waves is a little more complicated. There are two kinds of waves we should consider.

How do mechanical waves travel?

This means that they have to have some sort of matter to travel through. These waves travel when molecules in the medium collide with each other passing on energy. One example of a mechanical wave is sound. Sound can travel through air, water, or solids, but it can't travel through a vacuum.

How are waves generated?

Waves in the ocean are mostly generated by the wind moving across the ocean surface. The "medium" is the substance or material that carries a mechanical wave. One of the most important things to remember about waves is that they transport energy, not matter. This makes them different from other phenomenon in physics.

What is longitudinal wave?

Longitudinal waves are waves where the disturbance moves in the same direction as the wave. One example of this is a wave moving through a stretched out slinky or spring. If you compress one portion of the slinky and let go, the wave will move left to right.

What is transverse wave?

Transverse waves are waves where the disturbance moves perpendicular to the direction of the wave. You can think of the wave moving left to right, while the disturbance moves up and down. One example of a transverse wave is a water wave where the water moves up and down as the wave passes through the ocean. Other examples include an oscillating ...

What are some examples of electromagnetic waves?

Examples of electromagnetic waves include light, microwaves, radio waves, and X-rays. Transverse Waves and Longitudinal Waves. Another way to describe a wave is by the direction that its disturbance is traveling. Transverse waves are waves where the disturbance moves perpendicular to the direction of the wave.

How do sound waves propagate?

As sound waves propagate through a medium, the molecules collide with each other in the same direction as the sound is moving. and the bottom wave is longitudinal. Waves in the ocean are mostly generated by the wind moving across the ocean surface. The "medium" is the substance or material that carries a mechanical wave.

Why is it important to study waves?

When studying waves it's important to remember that they transfer energy, not matter. Waves in Everyday Life. There are lots of waves all around us in everyday life. Sound is a type of wave that moves through matter and then vibrates our eardrums so we can hear. Light is a special kind of wave that is made up of photons.

What are waves in science?

Waves are one of the ways in which energy may be transferred between stores. Waves can be described as oscillations, or vibrations about a rest position. For example: 1 sound waves cause air particles to vibrate back and forth 2 ripples cause water particles to vibrate up and down

What are waves called?

Waves can be described as oscillations, or vibrations about a rest position. For example: sound waves cause air particles to vibrate back and forth. ripples cause water particles to vibrate up and down. The direction of these oscillations is the difference between longitudinal and transverse waves. In longitudinal waves, ...

What is the difference between longitudinal and transverse waves?

In longitudinal waves, the vibrations are parallel to the direction of wave travel. In transverse waves, the vibrations are at right angles to the direction of wave travel. Mechanical waves cause oscillations of particles in a solid, liquid or gas and must have a medium to travel through.

Do electromagnetic waves transfer matter?

Electromagnetic waves cause oscillations in electrical and magnetic fields. It is important to remember that all waves transfer energy but they do not transfer matter. For example, if a ball is placed on the surface of a pond when ripples move across it, the ball will move up and down but not outwards with the wave.

How do waves travel?

Electromagnetic waves can travel from. stars to planets through empty space ( space is a vacuum ). What does a Wave do? Waves transmit energy without transmitting matter. This means that waves can move energy (or information) from one place to another without moving any. substance ( stuff ) from one place to another.

What happens when a wave moves through a substance?

What is a Wave? When waves move through a substance, they only move the. particles of the substance backwards and forwards ( longitudinal) or side to side ( transverse) as the wave passes. After the wave has gone, the particles of the substance are. back where they started but energy has been carried by the wave.

Do electromagnetic waves need to travel?

back where they started but energy has been carried by the wave. from its origin (where it begins) to its destination (where it finishes ). One type of wave (an electromagnetic wave) does not need. any substance to get from its origin to its destination. It can travel through a vacuum ( nothing ). Electromagnetic waves can travel from.

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Quotes

Introduction

  • A wave can be described as a disturbance that travels through a medium from one location to another location. Consider a slinky wave as an example of a wave. When the slinky is stretched from end to end and is held at rest, it assumes a natural position known as the equilibrium or rest position. The coils of the slinky naturally assume this position, spaced equally far apart. To intro…
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Definitions

  • But what is meant by the word medium? A medium is a substance or material that carries the wave. You have perhaps heard of the phrase news media. The news media refers to the various institutions (newspaper offices, television stations, radio stations, etc.) within our society that carry the news from one location to another. The news moves through the media. The media do…
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Mechanism

  • Consider the presence of a wave in a slinky. The first coil becomes disturbed and begins to push or pull on the second coil; this push or pull on the second coil will displace the second coil from its equilibrium position. As the second coil becomes displaced, it begins to push or pull on the third coil; the push or pull on the third coil displaces it from its equilibrium position. As the third coil b…
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Origin

  • Waves are said to be an energy transport phenomenon. As a disturbance moves through a medium from one particle to its adjacent particle, energy is being transported from one end of the medium to the other. In a slinky wave, a person imparts energy to the first coil by doing work upon it. The first coil receives a large amount of energy that it subs...
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Example

  • 3. Mac and Tosh are experimenting with pulses on a rope. They vibrate an end up and down to create the pulse and observe it moving from end to end. How does the position of a point on the rope, before the pulse comes, compare to the position after the pulse has passed?
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Effects

  • 4. Minute after minute, hour after hour, day after day, ocean waves continue to splash onto the shore. Explain why the beach is not completely submerged and why the middle of the ocean has not yet been depleted of its water supply.
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Properties

  • 5. A medium is able to transport a wave from one location to another because the particles of the medium are ____.
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1.The Physics of Waves - Waves | HowStuffWorks

Url:https://adventure.howstuffworks.com/outdoor-activities/water-sports/surfing5.htm

35 hours ago  · In the air, however, sound waves are actually pressure variations -- regions of molecular compression pushing onward. Imagine sound traveling from a stereo to your ears. Speakers like the one pictured vibrate, causing molecules in their path to vibrate in the same way and push together into compressed regions.

2.Physics Tutorial: Vibrations and Waves

Url:https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/waves

18 hours ago In physics, a wave is a disturbance that travels through space and matter transferring energy from one place to another. When studying waves it's important to remember that they transfer energy, not matter.

3.Physics Tutorial: What is a Wave?

Url:https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/waves/Lesson-1/What-is-a-Wave

30 hours ago Mechanical waves cause oscillations of particles in a solid, liquid or gas and must have a medium. to travel through. Electromagnetic waves cause oscillations in …

4.Q & A: How Sound Waves Work | Department of Physics

Url:https://van.physics.illinois.edu/qa/listing.php?id=14771

34 hours ago When waves move through a substance, they only move the. particles of the substance backwards and forwards ( longitudinal) or side to side ( transverse) as the wave passes. After the wave has gone, the particles of the substance are. back where they started but energy has been carried by the wave. from its origin (where it begins) to its destination (where it finishes ).

5.Physics for Kids: Basic Science of Waves - Ducksters

Url:https://www.ducksters.com/science/physics/waves.php

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6.Videos of How Do Waves Work Physics

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