Topic 6 : Waves
Sub-topic 6.1 : Understanding Waves

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of learning session, students should be able to

1. Describe damping in oscillating system.
2. Describe resonance in oscillating system.

Contents:

1. The amplitude of oscillation of the simple pendulum will gradually decrease and become zero when the oscillation stops. The decrease in the amplitude of an oscillating system is called damping.
2. An oscillating system experiences damping when its energy is drained out as heat energy.
3. The frequency of a system which oscillates freely without the action of an external force is called the natural frequency.
4. Resonance occurs when a system is made to oscillate at a frequency equivalent to its natural frequency by an external force. The resonating system oscillates at its maximum amplitude.

Natural Frequency

Barton Pendulum

Resonance Experiment

Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster

Teaching Coursewares

1. Daily Lesson Plan
   

Topic 6 : Waves
Sub-topic 6.1 : Understanding Waves

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of learning session, students should be able to

1. State what meant by wave front and relation with propagation of wave.
2. Define amplitude(A) , period(T), frequency(f), wavelength & wave speed(v).

Contents:

1. Wavefront: Imaginary line joining of particles of medium in the same phase and at the same distance from the source.
2. There are 2 types of wave front: (a)plane (b)circular
3. Amplitude, A - the maximum displacement from its equilibrium position.
4. Period, T - the time taken to complete an oscillation.
   
5. Frequency, f - the number of complete oscillations made by a vibrating system in one second.
   
6. Wavelength - the distance between successive points of the same phase in a wave.
7. Wave speed, v = frequency X wavelength

PLANE WAVEFRONT

CIRCULAR WAVEFRONT

Teaching Coursewares

1. Daily Lesson Plan
   

Topic 6 : Waves
Sub-topic 6.1 : Understanding Waves

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of learning session, students should be able to

1. Describe waves motion.
2. Recognize that waves transfer energy without transferring matter.
3. State the different between transverse and longitudinal waves and give examples of each.
   

Contents:

1. Waves - An oscillating or vibrating motion in which a point or body moves back and forth along a line about a fixed central point.
2. An oscillating and vibrating system acts as the source of waves which transfer energy from one point to another(without transferring matter or mass).
   
3. Transverse waves - Move in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the vibrations. Examples: water waves, all electromagnetic waves, light waves
4. Longitudinal waves - Move in direction parallel to the direction of the vibrations. Example: sound waves.
   

Teaching Coursewares

1. Daily Lesson Plan