CHAPTER – 14

WAVES

WAVE MOTION
Wave motion is a kind of disturbance which travels through a medium due to repeated
vibrations of the particles of the medium about their mean positions, the disturbance being handed
over from one particle to the next.
Mechanical waves: The waves which require a material medium for their propagation are called
mechanical waves.

TRANSVERSE WAVES
These are the waves in which the individual particles of the medium oscillate perpendicular
to the direction of wave propagation.

LONGITUDINAL WAVES
These are the waves in which the individual particles of the medium oscillate along the
direction of wave propagation.

Essential properties of a medium for the propagation of mechanical waves:

(a) Elasticity
(b) Inertia
(c) Minimum friction
Some definitions in connection with wave motion:
(a) Amplitude- It is the maximum displacement suffered by the particles of the medium about
their mean positions.
(b) Time period- The time period of a wave is the time in which a particle of a medium
completes one vibration to and fro about its mean position. It is denoted by T.
(c) Frequency- The frequency of a wave is the number of waves produced per unit time in the
given medium.
1
𝑣=
𝑇
SI unit - s-1 or hertz (Hz).
(d) Angular frequency- The rate of change of phase with time is called angular frequency of
the wave.
2𝜋
𝜔= = 2𝜋𝑣
𝑇
SI unit - rad s-1.
(e) Wavelength- It is the distance between two nearest particles of the medium which are
vibrating in the same phase. It is denoted by λ.

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 (f) Wave number- The number of waves present in a unit distance of the medium is called
wave number.
1
𝑣̅ =
𝜆
SI unit - m-1.
2𝜋
(g) Angular wave number (Propagation Constant)- The quantity is called angular wave
𝜆
number or propagation constant.
2𝜋
𝑘=
𝜆
SI unit - rad m-1.
(h) Wave velocity or phase velocity- The distance covered by a wave per unit time in its
direction of propagation is called its wave velocity or phase velocity.
𝜆
𝑣= 𝑣 = 𝛾𝜆
𝑇
SI unit - m s-1.

Speed of Transverse Wave on a stretched string: (No derivation)

𝑇
𝑣=√
𝑚
Speed of Transverse Wave on a solid: (No derivation)
𝜂
𝑣=√
𝜌
Speed of Longitudinal Wave in a liquid or gas: (No derivation)

𝑘
𝑣=√
𝜌
Speed of Longitudinal Wave in a solid rod: (No derivation)

𝑌
𝑣=√
𝜌

SPEED OF SOUND IN GAS - (NEWTON’S FORMULA) (Refer Nore book for the derivation)

𝑘𝑖𝑠𝑜 𝑃
𝑣=√ , 𝑣=√
𝜌 𝜌

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Speed of Sound in gas - (Laplace’s Correction): (Refer Nore book for the derivation)

𝑘𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎 𝛾𝑃
𝑣=√ , 𝑣=√
𝜌 𝜌

Factors affecting the speed of sound in a gas:

(a) Effect of pressure - When the pressure changes, density also changes and the ratio
remain unchanged. Hence speed of sound will not change.
(b) Effect of density- At constant pressure, the speed is inversely proportional to the square
root of density.
(c) Effect of humidity- Density of the water vapour is less than that of the dry air, so the
presence of moisture decreases the density. Sound travel faster in moist air than dry air.
(d) Effect of temperature- The speed is directly proportional to the square root of its
absolute temperature.

PROGRESSIVE WAVE
A wave that travels from one point of the medium to another is called a progressive wave.

Plane Progressive harmonic Wave: If during the propagation of a wave through a medium, the
particles of the medium vibrate simple harmonically about their mean positions, then the wave is
said to be plane progressive harmonic wave.

DISPLACEMENT RELATION FOR A PROGRESSIVE WAVE (No derivation)

𝑦(𝑥, 𝑡) = 𝐴 sin( 𝑤𝑡 − 𝑘𝑥)

2π 𝑥
Or 𝑦(𝑥, 𝑡) = 𝐴 sin ( 𝑡 − 𝑣)
T
2π
Or 𝑦(𝑥, 𝑡) = 𝐴 sin ( 𝑣𝑡 − 𝑥)
λ

Or 𝑦(𝑥, 𝑡) = 𝐴 sin( 𝑤𝑡 − 𝑘𝑥 + 𝜙0 )
All the above equations are the expressions of plane progressive wave travelling along +X axis
direction.

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 𝑦(𝑥, 𝑡) = 𝐴 sin( 𝑤𝑡 + 𝑘𝑥 + 𝜙0 )

The above equation is the expression of plane progressive wave travelling along -X axis direction.

REFLECTION OF WAVE FROM A RIGID BOUNDARY

When a travelling wave is reflected from a rigid boundary, its phase changes by π radians.

If the incident is wave is represented by,

𝑦𝑖 (𝑥, 𝑡) = 𝐴 sin( 𝑤𝑡 − 𝑘𝑥)
The reflected wave can be represented as,
𝑦𝑟 (𝑥, 𝑡) = −𝐴 sin( 𝑤𝑡 + 𝑘𝑥)

REFLECTION OF WAVE FROM AN OPEN BOUNDARY

When a travelling wave is reflected from an open boundary, it suffers no phase change.

If the incident is wave is represented by,

𝑦𝑖 (𝑥, 𝑡) = 𝐴 sin( 𝑤𝑡 − 𝑘𝑥)
The reflected wave can be represented as,
𝑦𝑟 (𝑥, 𝑡) = 𝐴 sin( 𝑤𝑡 + 𝑘𝑥)

PRINCIPLE OF SUPERPOSITION OF WAVES

It states that when number of waves travel through a medium simultaneously, the resultant
displacement of any particle of the medium at any time is equal to the algebraic sum of the
displacements due to the individual waves.
𝑦 = 𝑦1 + 𝑦2 + 𝑦3 + … … + 𝑦𝑛

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The superposition of two waves may lead to the following different effects:
(a) Interference of waves
(b) Stationary waves
(c) Beats

STATIONARY WAVES (STANDING WAVES)

When two identical waves of same amplitude and frequency travelling in opposite directions
with the same speed along the same path superpose each other, the resultant wave does not travel in
the either direction and is called a stationary or standing wave.
The resultant wave keeps on repeating itself in the same fixed position. Some of the particles
of the medium remains permanently at rest ( Zero displacement). Their positions are called Nodes.
Some other particles always suffer maximum displacement. Their positions are called Antinodes.
The positions of nodes and antinodes do not change with time. That is why, such waves are called
stationary waves.

Comparison-

Progressive Waves Stationary waves

The disturbance travels forward with a The disturbance remains stationary.
1 definite velocity.
Each particles of the medium executes SHM Except nodes, all the particles Execute SHM
2 with same amplitude. with varying amplitude.

3 No particle is permanently at rest. The particles at nodes are permanently at rest.

4 There is flow of energy. There is no flow of energy.

Stationary waves in a string fixed at both ends: (Refer Note book for the derivation)

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BEATS
When two sound waves of slightly different frequencies travelling along the same path in
the same direction in a medium superpose upon each other, the intensity of the resultant sound at
any point in the medium rises (waxing)and falls (waning) alternatively with time. These periodic
variations in the intensity are called beats.

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