- #1
- 22,183
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- Author: George King
- Title: Vibration and Waves
- Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0470011890/?tag=pfamazon01-20
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Vibration is a repetitive back-and-forth motion of an object or medium, while waves are a disturbance that travels through a medium without causing any permanent displacement of the medium itself.
There are three main types of waves: transverse waves, longitudinal waves, and surface waves. Transverse waves move perpendicular to the direction of the wave, longitudinal waves move parallel to the direction of the wave, and surface waves combine characteristics of both transverse and longitudinal waves.
The frequency of a wave is the number of complete cycles it makes in one second, while the wavelength is the distance between two consecutive peaks or troughs in the wave. They are inversely related, meaning as one increases, the other decreases.
The velocity of a wave is the speed at which it travels through a medium, while the amplitude is the maximum displacement of the wave from its rest position. There is no direct relationship between the two, as the amplitude can vary while the velocity remains constant.
The speed of a wave can be calculated by dividing the wavelength by the period, or by multiplying the frequency by the wavelength. It can also be measured by timing how long it takes for a wave to travel a known distance and then using the equation d = vt (distance = velocity x time).