- #1
ashsully
- 7
- 0
Hi everyone.
I'm currently studying waves in physics at the moment but I'm super confused and hoping someone could help me clear up some things. Firstly I'll post what I think it correct (I know it's wrong) and hopefully someone could pick up exactly where I am getting confused.
Waves are a periodic motion which flows from one place to another along a medium or empty space.
Waves have two categories:
1) Mechanical (requires a medium)
2) Electromagnetic (does not require a medium)
1) Mechanical waves have two subcategories depending on what direction the particles are displaced reference to the direction of energy transport.
i) Transverse Waves: Particles are displaced perpindicular to the direction of energy of transport.
ii) Longitudinal Waves: Particles are displaced parallel to the direction of energy of transport.
I can understand transverse and longitudinal wave examples. We got introduced to nodes & antinodes and I get the definitions of each and the difference between their respective displacements but this is the area where I'm getting confused. Do all transverse waves have antinodes and nodes?
I know that longitudinal waves have crests and troughs (compressions and rarefactions) so does that mean transverse waves have nodes and antinodes?
Now I'm also getting confused with progressive and standing waves.
From what I've read, I've heard that these are types of wave PATTERNS and not waves themselves. If so how would you know if you're going to experience a standing wave or a progressive wave in an object?
We are currently doing pipes (Open & Closed) and Strings. But I'm confused why an open pipe column will have standing waves when it's open on both ends. Shouldn't the wave just continue from one end of the pipe to the other in an uninterrupted fashion?
Also, Is a progressive wave also known as a traveling wave?
Sorry for the essay, but I really can't wrap my head around it.
Thanks in advance,
Ash
I'm currently studying waves in physics at the moment but I'm super confused and hoping someone could help me clear up some things. Firstly I'll post what I think it correct (I know it's wrong) and hopefully someone could pick up exactly where I am getting confused.
Waves are a periodic motion which flows from one place to another along a medium or empty space.
Waves have two categories:
1) Mechanical (requires a medium)
2) Electromagnetic (does not require a medium)
1) Mechanical waves have two subcategories depending on what direction the particles are displaced reference to the direction of energy transport.
i) Transverse Waves: Particles are displaced perpindicular to the direction of energy of transport.
ii) Longitudinal Waves: Particles are displaced parallel to the direction of energy of transport.
I can understand transverse and longitudinal wave examples. We got introduced to nodes & antinodes and I get the definitions of each and the difference between their respective displacements but this is the area where I'm getting confused. Do all transverse waves have antinodes and nodes?
I know that longitudinal waves have crests and troughs (compressions and rarefactions) so does that mean transverse waves have nodes and antinodes?
Now I'm also getting confused with progressive and standing waves.
From what I've read, I've heard that these are types of wave PATTERNS and not waves themselves. If so how would you know if you're going to experience a standing wave or a progressive wave in an object?
We are currently doing pipes (Open & Closed) and Strings. But I'm confused why an open pipe column will have standing waves when it's open on both ends. Shouldn't the wave just continue from one end of the pipe to the other in an uninterrupted fashion?
Also, Is a progressive wave also known as a traveling wave?
Sorry for the essay, but I really can't wrap my head around it.
Thanks in advance,
Ash