Vibrations and Waves
Chapter 19
Periodic Motion
• Any repetitive, or cyclical, types of
motion
– Examples?
• Simple Harmonic Motion is a specialized
form of periodic motion
Simple Harmonic Motion
• Periodic vibration around an
equilibrium position
• Restoring force must be
–proportional to displacement
from equilibrium
–in the direction of equilibrium
Restoring Force
• The push or pull that brings the
mass back towards equilibrium
– The restoring force of a pendulum
is a component of the bob’s weight.
– The restoring force for a mass-
spring system is from the stretch (or
compression) of the spring
Simple Harmonic Motion
• Common examples include a
mass-spring system or a
pendulum
– For a pendulum, SHM only for small
angles (within 10 degrees of
vertical)
Describe
speed,
acceleration,
and restoring
force at each
point.
Describe
speed,
acceleration,
and restoring
force at each
point.
Amplitude
• The maximum displacement
from equilibrium.
Period
• The time it takes for one complete cycle of
motion.
• Represented by the symbol T
• Unit of seconds
Frequency
• The number of cycles completed in a unit
of time (usually seconds)
• Represented by the symbol f
• Unit of s-1 (also known as Hertz)
Period and Frequency
• Period and frequency are inversely
related.
• f = 1/T and T = 1/f
A mass spring system completes
10 cycles each second.
• What is the period?
– 1/10 s
• What is the frequency?
– 10 cycles per second (10 Hz)
Factors Affecting Mass-Spring
Systems
• The heavier the mass, the longer the period
(more inertia)
• The stiffer the spring, the less time it will take to
complete one cycle.
Factors Affecting Pendulums
• For small amplitudes, the period of a pendulum
does not depend on the mass or amplitude.
• Length does affect the period of a pendulum.
Questions
• Does the period of a pendulum depend on
the mass of the bob?
• If you increase the length of the pendulum
string, what happens to the period?
Problem
• Calculate the Period of a pendulum of
length 0.75 m.
Answer: 1.7s
Question
• If you had a pendulum on the moon would
its period be the same or different
compared to the same pendulum on the
earth?
For g=1.6m/s^2 calculate the period of a
pendulum in the moon.
What is a wave?
• A wave is an means by which energy is
transferred from one place to another via
periodic disturbances
Some general terminology…
• Pulse – a single disturbance, single cycle
• Periodic wave – continuous, repeated
disturbances
• Sine wave – a wave whose source vibrates with
simple harmonic motion
• Medium – whatever the
wave is traveling through
Mechanical Waves
• Waves that require a physical medium to travel
through.
– Examples: sound, disturbance in a slinky
• Examples of physical media are water, air,
string, slinky.
Electromagnetic waves
• Waves that do not require a physical medium.
• Comprised of oscillating electric and magnetic
fields
• Examples include x-rays, visible light, radio
waves, etc.
Transverse Waves
• Particles of the medium move perpendicular to
the direction of energy transfer
• You should be able to identify crests, troughs,
wavelength (distance traveled during one full
cycle), and amplitude
Crest
Trough
Longitudinal Waves
• Particles of the medium move parallel to the
direction of energy transfer (slinky demo)
• Be able to Identify compressions, rarefactions,
wavelengths
Compressions Rarefactions
Waves transfer energy
• Note that, while energy is transferred from point
A to point B, the particles in the medium do not
move from A to B.
– Individual particles of the medium merely
vibrate back and forth in simple harmonic
motion
• The rate of energy transfer is proportional
to the square of the amplitude
– When amplitude is doubled, the energy
carried increases by a factor of 4.
Wave speed
• Wave speed is determined completely
by the characteristics of the medium
– For an unchanging medium, wave speed
is constant
• Calculate speed of a wave by multiplying
wavelength by frequency.
–v=fxλ
Practice #2
• Q: The piano string tuned to middle C
vibrates with a frequency of 264 Hz.
Assuming the speed of sound in air is 343
m/s, find the wavelength of the sound
waves produced by the string.
• A: 1.30 m
Practice #1
• Q: Microwaves travel at the speed of light,
3.00×108 m/s. When the frequency of
microwaves is 9.00 ×109 Hz, what is their
wavelength?
• A: 0.0333 m
Interference
• The combination of two or more waves in
a medium at the same time.
– Matter cannot occupy the same space at the
same time, but energy can.
• The Superposition Principle describes
what happens when waves interfere…
– Waves (energy) pass through each other
completely unaffected
– The medium will be displaced an amount
equal to the vector sum of what the waves
would have done individually
Constructive Interference
• Waves are on the same
side of equilibrium.
• Waves meet, combine
according to the
superposition principle,
and pass through
unchanged.
• Amplitude larger
than originals
Destructive Interference
• pulses on opposite sides
of equilibrium.
• Waves meet, combine
according to the
superposition principle,
and pass through
unchanged.
• Amplitude smaller
than at least one
original wave
Complete Destructive Interference
Interference patterns
• Interference
patterns result
from continuous
interference.
Reflection
• The bouncing of a wave when it
encounters the boundary between two
different media
Fixed End Reflection
• At a fixed boundary, waves are inverted as they
are reflected.
Free End Reflection
• At a free boundary, waves are reflected on the
same side of equilibrium
Standing Waves
• A wave interference pattern that results when
two waves of the same frequency, wavelength,
and amplitude travel in opposite directions and
interfere.
Standing wave parts
• Node – point that maintains zero displacement
• Antinode – point at which largest displacement
occurs
Standing waves
• Only certain frequencies produce standing
wave patterns.
If a string is 4.0 m long, what are
three wavelengths that will produce
standing waves on this string?
