Making Waves!

Created by Mr. Bitondo

WALT: Waves
You will demonstrate an understanding
of motion, forces, and energy as they
pertain to WAVES.

Whats a Wave?
In physics, a wave is a traveling 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.

Wait...what does that mean?

A wave is a movement up and down or
back and forth in which ENERGY is
transferred from one place to another

1.

Diagram 1

Background

What is a wave?
A disturbance in which energy is transferred
without causing any permanent
displacement of the medium (ex: air, water,
earth,
empty space).

How do Waves Move?

Longitudinal- (ex: Compression waves)
Energy moves parallel to medium
Ex: Sound waves, dominoes, some
earthquakes

Transverse Waves
Transverse- (ex: S waves)
energy moves perpendicular (right angles)
to medium
Electromagnetic, some earthquakes

What are the two major types

of waves?
Mechanical Waves

Electromagnetic
Waves

Mechanical Waves
Mechanical- must have a medium to
transfer energy
Need particles to transfer energy
Compression (sound), surface (water), both
compression & transverse (earthquakes)

What are the different types of waves?

Sound
Ocean
Seismic (earthquakes)

Ex 1: Sound Waves

My Notes!
1. Sound needs a medium to vibrate
and travel!
2. Our brains interpret a change in
pressure as sound.
3. Different sound is a difference in
space between the molecules of
the medium.

Ex 2: Ocean Waves

My Notes!!

1. Energy is transferred in waves...not

stuff!
2. Molecules of water move in a circular
pattern...they dont move forward.
3. Things wont move forward due to
waves...it is wind that moves them!

Ocean Waves
Ocean waves are produced by wind and the
gravitational pull of moon produces ocean
tides.

Ex 3: Earthquake (Seismic) Waves

My Notes!
1. P waves move back and forth. They
also move about twice as fast!
2. S Waves make an S pattern.
3. Epicenter is the point in which the
earthquake originates.

How Are Waves Made?

All mechanical waves are made by
vibrations
Ex: Sound waves vibrate matter
need molecules to vibrate so, no sounds in
space

Electromagnetic Waves
Electromagnetic waves- electric field and
magnetic fields combine
DONT need molecules - travels through empty
space

Major Wave Types

Electromagnetic- waves in which
electric and magnetic fields vary
simultaneously.
Does not require particles to
transfer energy
Usually transverse (S) waves

Electromagnetic Waves
Radio, radar, microwaves, infrared, visible
light, ultraviolet, xray, gamma

Raging Redheaded Martians

Invade Venus Using Xrays &
Gamma rays

Electromagnetic Radiation
EM Radiation are waves of
energy and light that are
always moving around us
EM Radiation comes in
different forms:
TV, radio transmissions,
x-rays, microwaves
(popcorn anyone?), gamma
radiation from space, and
heat in the atmosphere.

How do scientists classify these...

Physicists classify them by the
frequency of their wavelength,
going from high to low
frequency. When a wave has a lot
of energy, it could be a gamma
ray or x-ray. If it has low
frequency, it has less energy and
could be a TV or radio wave.

What is Visible light?

In physics, light refers to
electromagnetic radiation.
The light we normally talk
about refers to the visible
spectrum (ROY G BIV) (the
part of the electromagnetic
spectrum that the human
eye can see).

Thanks ALLIE REASONER!!!

Whats a Gamma Ray you ask...

Gamma rays have the smallest
wavelengths and the most energy of
any wave in the electromagnetic
spectrum. They are produced by the
hottest and most energetic objects in
the universe, such as neutron stars
and pulsars, supernova explosions,
and regions around black holes. On
Earth, gamma waves are generated
by nuclear explosions (thanks
Manhattan Project) and lightning.

Where do Electromagnetic waves

come from?
Radio - sound and video of
television is carried by
shorter radio waves
(wavelengths < 1 meter),
and are used for
broadcasting in FM
radio. Radio waves are
also produced by stars
in distant galaxies.

Where do Electromagnetic waves

come from?
Microwaves - Microwaves & radar
are high frequency radio waves
and are emitted by the Earth,
buildings, cars, planes, and
other large objects. In addition,
low-level microwave radiation
flows through space, and our
cell phones use them! where it
is thought to have been released
by the "Big Bang" during creation
of the universe.

Where do Electromagnetic waves

come from?
Infrared - Almost all
objects emit
infrared rays,
depending on the
temperature of the
object.

Where do Electromagnetic waves

come from?
Visible light - White
light originates from a
variety of natural and
artificial sources,
including the sun,
chemical reactions
(fire), incandescent
light bulbs, and
fluorescent lights
(ROYGBIV).

Where do Electromagnetic waves

come from?
UV - The sun is a
constant source of
ultraviolet radiation.
Stars and other hot
celestial objects in outer
space emit ultraviolet
radiation.
Joseph...UV=Ultra Violet

Where do Electromagnetic waves

come from?
X-rays - Medical
tools and hot
gases in outer
space emit X-rays

Where do Electromagnetic waves

come from?
gamma - radioactive
materials (natural and
artificial) but also
originate from nuclear
explosions and a
variety of sources in
outer space. They also
originate from the hottest
regions of the universe
including supernova
explosions, neutron stars,
pulsars, and black holes.

Misconceptions

True or False?
When a wave moves, the
medium flows with the wave

Answer:

Answer: False
The medium moves very
little - waves just transfer
energy, not matter

True or False?
Radio waves are
sound waves.

Answer: False
Equipment in the radio converts
electromagnetic energy into
sound waves
(XM radio is FM radio
broadcast from satellites)

True or False
There is sound in the
vacuum of space.

Answer: False
Sound requires matter
to vibrate.