Physics 312 Lecture: "Wave Motion I."
Apr 2, 1998
- Transverse waves feature displacement perpendicular to the
direction of wave motion.
- Longitudinal waves feature displacement parallel to the
direction of wave motion.
- A travelling wave must have form f(x - vt)
- When two waves meet, the result is the algebraic sum
of the individual wave equations;
this is the Principle of Linear Superposition
- A wave moving a string of linear mass density mu,
and tension force F, has speed
v = sqrt(F/mu)
This lecture discusses material in Chapter 16 of Serway.
