AP Night Lecture #2: Waves, Part II
Online Video Lessons:
For animated lessons with narration and problems, visit HippoCampus's
Applet Trouble? If you have trouble running the applets below, visit www.java.com to download and install the latest version of Java onto your computer.
- Speed of a wave: v = λf
- Speed is usually set by the characteristics of the medium (e.g. speed of sound in air controlled by temperature)
- Doppler effect occurs when source moves toward or away from observer; observer says frequency changed; Doppler Effect Java Applet
- Beats occur when two waves of similar frequency combine to form an oscillating sum; Beats Java Applet
- Diffraction
- Waves bend around barriers and when passing through slits: they diffract; Water Diffraction Java Applet
- Diffraction maximized when slit width is approximately λ; Single Slit Diffraction Java Applet
- Wave is polarized when it is forced through a slit, which blocks all but one orientation of a wave from coming through; useful in blocking light that causes glare, etc. Polarized Waves Java Applet
- Interference patterns for double-slit
- Bright central maximum (an anti-nodal line)
- Bright bands to either side (antinodes) separated by dark bands (nodes)
- Distance xm from central maximum to mth maximum (bright band) is given by xm = λL/d if d = slit separation & L = distance from slits to maxima location at screen
- Double-Slit Experiment Java Applet