EXPLORE:

Wave Stuff (properties, energy, and interactions)

Lifeisalwaysinmotion...lifeISmotion.Energyisapartoflife,abigpartofit,asitinteractswithmatter.It
movesandtransfersfromonetype,orplace,toanother.Energymovesinwaves,whichiswhatwearetrying
tostudy.Studying&understandingwaveshelpsustoutilizeenergy(waveenergy)tohelpusandbenefitusin
differentways.Pleaseusethefollowingquestions,statements,andactivitiestoguideyouinbuildingyour
knowledgeofwaves.

SECTIONONE:

HowDoTransverseandLongitudinalWavesinMatterDifferfrom
OneAnother?
1. Whatkind(s)ofwavescarry/transferenergy?
allwavescarryenergy.Fromonewaytoanother.
2. Whereistheenergybeingcarried?

3. WhatisgivenasanexampleofaTRANSVERSEWAVE?
guitarstringsstrumming/soundwaves.
4. Howcanyoutellwhenitisatransversewave?Thinkaboutthedirectionoftheenergyvs.the
matter.
Atransversewavegoessideways.Theenergyofthewavemovesforwards.

Findanimageofanexampleofatypeoftransversewaveinreallife
(note:mustnotbethesameasthe
examplefromthetextoradiagram)
,andpasteitbelow.
anXrayoraradio/televisionsignal.
5. DescribeWHY?itisanexampleofatransversewave.
Becausethewavestravelupanddown,makingcrestsandtroughs.
6. Describethemovementofalongitudinalwaveintermsoftheenergyandthematter.
Theybasicallypushoutwardsorinwards,anddonthavecrests/troughs.
7. Whatexampleisgivenofalongitudinalwave?Whatperceivestheenergytransferredinthis
typeofwave?
longitudinalwavescarryenergyfromoneplacetoanother
8. WatchtheTRANSVERSEWAVEvideosegment&filloutthetermsbelow:
a. AMPLITUDE:Theamountofenergythewavecarries.
b. WAVELENGTH:Thedistancefromonewavetoanother.
c. FREQUENCY:Thenumberofwavesthatpassacertainpoint.

9. WatchtheLONGITUDINALWAVEvideosegment&filloutthetermsbelow:
a. COMPRESSION:whereparticlesofthemediumareclosesttogether.
b. RAREFACTION:Wheretheparticlesarefarthestapart.
c. AMPLITUDE:strengthofthewave.
d. WAVELENGTH:
thedistancebetweensuccessivecrestsofawave,especiallypointsina
soundwave.
e. FREQUENCY:thenumberofwavesthatvibrateinacertainperiodoftime.

10. Gotoyoutubeandlistento30ishsecondsofyourfavoritesong

(schoolappropriate)
,and
considerthevocals&instrumentsinvolvedtocreatethemusic.
Guitarstrumming,vocals/singing,drums,clapping,keyboard
Wepickedthesongshutupanddancewithme.

NOWCLOSEYOUTUBE

11. Howhasunderstandinglongitudinalwavesbenefittedthemusiciansandthelistener(you)?
Becausewiththem,theyareabletoproduceandmakemusic.Withoutthem,therewouldbenomusicor
singing.

REMEMBERTOREADTHEMISCONCEPTIONS...hint:itmightshowup
onaquiz)

SECTIONTWO:

HowDoWavesTravelandCarryEnergy?
1. Howdomechanicalwaves
(transverseORlongitudinalwavesthatinvolveMATTER)
transferenergy
WITHOUTtransferringmatterwithit?
Thematterisvibratinginplace.Thevibratingmediumcarriesenergy.
2. Whatexamplefromourwavelab(s)wouldserveasanexampleofthisphenomena?
Ourrippletank.
3. Whatexampledotheauthorsgiveinthetext,ofthemovementofenergywithoutthemovement
ofmatter
(yes,thematterdoesslightlymovetoo,butINPLACE).
Shesaidthatoceanwavesareanexample.Thewaterweseeisthesamewatergoingbackandforth.
4. WatchthevideoBreakingTheGlass:Howdotheybreaktheglassunassisted?Howdoes
thisillustratethemovementofenergythroughwaves?Whatkindofmechanicalwaveswere
usedtobreaktheglass?
Inthevideoaboutbreakingtheglasssomeonewastryingtobreakglassandtoproveamyth.

SECTIONTHREE:

HowDoWavesInteractwitheachOther?
USETHETEXT&VIDEOSEGMENTSTOANSWERTHEFOLLOWINGQUESTIONS:

1. DefineWAVEINTERFERENCE.Whyisitimportanttounderstandhowwavesinteractand
interferewithoneanother?

2. WhatdoesitmeanwhenwavesareINPHASEwitheachother?

3. ExplainwaveinterferenceforaTRANSVERSEWAVE:
a. constructive:
b. destructive

4. ExplainwaveinterferenceforaLONGITUDINALWAVE:
a. constructive:
b. destructive

WaveInterferenceVideo
1. Drawadiagramshowingthedifferencebetweenwavesbeingoutofphaseandinphase.

2. Explainwhatanobjectsnaturalfrequencyis.

3. WhydidtheTacomaBridgeselfdestruct(besuretogobeyondjustthewinds).

ReverberationVideo
1. Whathappenswhensoundsmatchup?

2. Whathappenswhensoundswavesareopposite?

3. Whataredecibals?

4. Whataresomedeciballevelsyouencountereveryday?

5. ExplainthedifferencebetweenConstructiveInterferenceandDestructiveInterference.

6. Basedontheinformationfromthevideo,explainhowsoundproofheadphonesmightwork.