Understanding Mechanical
Waves
What is a mechanical wave?
The physics definition of a wave is a disturbance that travels through a medium
from one point to another.
This disturbance is actually a movement of energy through the medium and not
the actual permenant movement of the medium itself.
Types of mechanical waves
Transverse- the medium vibrates perpendicular to the movement of the wave.
Longitudinal- also called a compression wave, the medium vibrates in the same
direction as the wave movement.
Longitudinal Wave
Transverse Wave
Properties of waves
Wavelength: the distance, measured in meters, between crests of a wave in a
transverse wave and the distance between compressions in a longitudinal wave
Properties of waves
Amplitude: the height, measured in meters, of the crests of a wave and the
equilibrium position. And in a longitudinal wave it is a measure of how far a
particle (p) moves between compressions and rarefactions from its equilibrium
position but is difficult to measure and is typically avoided when discussion
longitudinal waves.
Properties of waves
Frequency: the number of waves that pass a given point in 1 second and is
measured in hertz (Hz)
Properties of waves
Speed: how fast a wave can travel through a given medium, measured in m/s
Period: the amount of time it takes for a single wave to pass a given point,
measured in seconds.
Relationship of wave properties
The speed, the frequency, and the wavelength of a wave are all related.
Practice