• Progressive wave (moving) carry energy and does not transfer material.
• Wave caused by something making particles or fields oscillate at source.
• The oscillations pass through medium as wave travels and carries energy.
• Wave transfers energy away from source so source of wave loses energy.
• Electromagnetic waves cause things to heat up.
• X-rays and gamma knock e- out of orbits causing ionisation.
• Loud sounds cause large oscillations of air.
• Wave power can be used to generate electricity.

Do you still remember the differences between reflection and refraction in AS/A-level Physics?

• Wave bounced back when hits boundary.

• Wave changes direction as enters different medium.
• Change in direction is result of wave slowing down or speeding up.

• Wave spreads out as passes through gap or round obstacle.

• Displacement, x – measure in meters. (i.e. how far a point on wave has moved from its undisturbed position.)

• Amplitude, A – measured in meters. (Maximum magnitude of displacement)

• Wavelength, λ - measured in meters. (Length of one whole wave oscillation or wave cycle)

• Period, T – measured in seconds. (Time taken for one whole wave cycle.)

• Frequency, f – number of whole wave cycles per second passing through a given point or number of whole wave cycles given out from a source per second.

• Frequency (Hz, s^-1) and Period (time in s)

  F = 1/T

• Phase – measurement of position of certain point along wave cycle.

  Phase Difference – amount by which one wave lags behind other.

• Distance travelled is WL.
• Time taken to travel 1 WL is period of wave which is equal to 1/F.

C = 3.00 x 10⁸ ms^-1

1. Record depth of tank with ruler.
2. Use ripple tank dipper to create vibrations with regular freq. in tank.
3. Dim main lights and turn on strobe light.
4. Inc. freq. of strobe light from 0 until waves appear to be standing still, this is when freq. strobe light is equal to freq. of water waves.
5. Use ruler and white paper below tank to measure distance between several peaks and dividing this by no. troughs in between. Distance between 2 adjacent peaks is equal to WL.

In part 2, you will know more about three waves, namely Transverse, Longitudinal and Polarised Wave.

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Drafted by Bonnie (Physics)