Physics HL
Physics HL
5
Chapters
329
Notes
Theme A - Space, Time & Motion
Theme A - Space, Time & Motion
Theme B - The Particulate Nature Of Matter
Theme B - The Particulate Nature Of Matter
Theme C - Wave Behaviour
Theme C - Wave Behaviour
Theme D - Fields
Theme D - Fields
Theme E - Nuclear & Quantum Physics
Theme E - Nuclear & Quantum Physics
IB Resources
Theme C - Wave Behaviour
Physics HL
Physics HL

Theme C - Wave Behaviour

Unlocking The Secrets Of Waves: Transverse Vs. Longitudinal Explained

Word Count Emoji
608 words
Reading Time Emoji
4 mins read
Updated at Emoji
Last edited on 5th Nov 2024

Table of content

Intro to waves 🌟

Imagine you're at a rock concert. You can't see the speakers, but you feel the beat in your chest. That beat? It's energy from sound waves!

  • Wave: A party crasher! 😜 It's a disturbance that spreads energy from place to place in a medium (like air, water, or spring). And guess what? When the wave has done its thing, it doesn’t mess up the place. It's like a guest who eats all your snacks but then cleans up afterwards.

Types of waves - two big players 🚂

  • Transverse Waves (Slinky Sideways!)
    • Think of a snake slithering left and right.
    • Caused when you shake the end of a slinky sideways.
    • The slinky forms shapes like mountains (crests) and valleys (troughs).
    • Energy direction is 90° to particle movement.
      • Example: When you whip a rope up and down, it makes a wavy pattern that moves from one end to the other.
  • Longitudinal Waves (Slinky Boings!)
    • Like an accordion moving in and out.
    • Caused when you push and pull a slinky's end along its length.
    • The slinky gets squeezed (compression) and stretches out (rarefaction).
    • Energy direction = Particle movement direction.
      • Example: Imagine a springy doorstopper – when you press and release it, it makes a "boing" sound because of these waves!

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IB Resources
Theme C - Wave Behaviour
Physics HL
Physics HL

Theme C - Wave Behaviour

Unlocking The Secrets Of Waves: Transverse Vs. Longitudinal Explained

Word Count Emoji
608 words
Reading Time Emoji
4 mins read
Updated at Emoji
Last edited on 5th Nov 2024

Table of content

Intro to waves 🌟

Imagine you're at a rock concert. You can't see the speakers, but you feel the beat in your chest. That beat? It's energy from sound waves!

  • Wave: A party crasher! 😜 It's a disturbance that spreads energy from place to place in a medium (like air, water, or spring). And guess what? When the wave has done its thing, it doesn’t mess up the place. It's like a guest who eats all your snacks but then cleans up afterwards.

Types of waves - two big players 🚂

  • Transverse Waves (Slinky Sideways!)
    • Think of a snake slithering left and right.
    • Caused when you shake the end of a slinky sideways.
    • The slinky forms shapes like mountains (crests) and valleys (troughs).
    • Energy direction is 90° to particle movement.
      • Example: When you whip a rope up and down, it makes a wavy pattern that moves from one end to the other.
  • Longitudinal Waves (Slinky Boings!)
    • Like an accordion moving in and out.
    • Caused when you push and pull a slinky's end along its length.
    • The slinky gets squeezed (compression) and stretches out (rarefaction).
    • Energy direction = Particle movement direction.
      • Example: Imagine a springy doorstopper – when you press and release it, it makes a "boing" sound because of these waves!

Unlock the Full Content! File Is Locked Emoji

Dive deeper and gain exclusive access to premium files of Physics HL. Subscribe now and get closer to that 45 🌟

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