Unit 4A: Mechanical Waves and Sound
(Texas Physics: Ch 11 sections 3 - 4, Ch 12 sections 1 - 3)
Learner Objectives
Ch 11: Mechanical Waves
Ch 12: Sound
When a wave passes from one medium to another:
- part of the wave is transmitted and part is reflected
- the part that is transmitted is always upright
- frequency never changes (its determined by the source of vibration)
- wavespeed and wavelength therefore increase/decrease together
When passing into a more dense medium:
- the amplitude of the transmitted wave is smaller
- the reflected wave is inverted (more dense medium acts as a fixed
boundary)
When passing into a less dense medium:
- the amplitude of the transmitted wave is larger
- the reflected wave is upright (less dense medium acts as free boundary)
Waves Boundary Simulation Applet:
www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/reflect/reflect.html
WS 1: Ch 11 section 3 Wave Properties
WS 1: Ch 11 section 3 Wave Properties
WS 2: Ch 11 section 4 Wave Interactions
WS 2: Ch 11 section 4 Wave Interactions
WS 2: Ch 11 section 4 Wave Interactions
WS 3: Ch 12 section 1 Sound Waves
WS 3: Ch 12 section 1 Sound Waves
WS 3: Ch 12 section 1 Sound Waves
WS 4: Ch 12 section 2 Sound Intensity and Resonance
WS 4: Ch 12 section 2 Sound Intensity and Resonance
WS 4: Ch 12 section 2 Sound Intensity and Resonance
WS 5: Ch 12 section 3 Harmonics
WS 5: Ch 12 section 3 Harmonics