10/26/08

Post date: Oct 26, 2008 5:40:16 PM

Bell Activity: What is a wave?

Activities:

• • Pass back finals, view final grades

  • Wave - a disturbance that carries energy through matter or space

    • Examples

      • Water waves

      • Spring movements

      • "The Wave"

      • Sound waves

      • Light waves

    • Most travel through a medium

  • Medium - a physical environment in which phenomena occur. The "stuff" that a wave moves through. For example, sound waves travel through air, water waves through water, etc.

  • Mechanical waves - waves that require a medium

  • Electromagnetic waves do not require a medium

    • These are light waves, both visible and invisible light.

    • Includes radio waves, x-rays

  • Mechanical waves

  • Activity - motion of a particle involved in a wave. To be turned in! Download the assignment in the "handouts" section.

    • Transverse waves - particle move perpendicular to wave

    • Longitudinal waves - particles move parallel to wave

  • Parts of a wave

    • Crest

    • Trough

    • Wavelength

    • Amplitude

    • Compression

    • Rarefaction