Wave

Behavior

Wave Behavior• Wave Speed

– waves travel at a constant speed unless the medium is changed

Wave Behavior• Wave Speed

– Examples: light travels slower in glass than air, sound travels faster in water than air

Wave Behavior• Reflection

– bouncing back of a wave when it hits a boundary that does not absorb much energy

– occurs because one side of the wave moves slower than the other side

– Examples: echolocation, sonar

Wave Behavior• Refraction

– when waves pass from one medium to another at an angle and bend

– Examples: seismic waves passing through the earth, ultrasound

Wave Behavior• Refraction

Wave Behavior• Diffraction

– new series of waves are formed when they hit a barrier– Examples: “sparkles” on the surface of water or snow,

water waves hitting something on the surface

Wave Behavior• Diffraction

Wave Behavior• Interference

– two or more waves in the same place at the same time– there are two types of interference

Wave Behavior• Interference

Wave Behavior• Constructive Interference

– crest meets crest– forms single wave with amplitude equal to the sum of

the original wave amplitudes

Wave 1

Wave Behavior• Constructive Interference

– crest meets crest– forms single wave with amplitude equal to the sum of

the original wave amplitudes

Wave 1

Wave 2

Wave Behavior• Constructive Interference

– crest meets crest– forms single wave with amplitude equal to the sum of

the original wave amplitudes

Wave 1

Wave 3

Wave 2

Wave Behavior• Destructive Interference

– crest meets trough– forms single wave with amplitude equal to the difference

of the original wave amplitudes

Wave 1

Wave Behavior• Destructive Interference

– crest meets trough– forms single wave with amplitude equal to the difference

of the original wave amplitudes

Wave 1

Wave 2

Wave Behavior• Destructive Interference

– crest meets trough– forms single wave with amplitude equal to the difference

of the original wave amplitudes

Wave 3

Wave 1

Wave 2

Wave Behavior• Interference

Wave Behavior• Standing Wave

– wave pattern that simulates a wave that is standing still

Wave Behavior• Standing Wave

– Node - destructive interference causes no displacement

Wave Behavior• Standing Wave

– Node - destructive interference causes no displacement

Node

Wave Behavior• Standing Wave

– Antinode - constructive interference causes maximum displacement

Node

Wave Behavior• Standing Wave

– Antinode - constructive interference causes maximum displacement

Node Antinode