Summary BTEC Unit 1 and A Level Physics - Waves Revision Guide
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Course
Unit 1 - Principles and Applications of Science I
Institution
PEARSON (PEARSON)
A detailed summary of all the physics notes that I made whilst revising for my Unit 1 exams in January 2023, achieved a distinction in this unit first time around.
Topics covered: Phase difference, superposition of waves, stationary waves, interference, diffraction, refraction.
These notes wi...
Wave Properties and Equations
Key terms
Amplitude - Maximum displacement of a point on a wave from its undisturbed position
Oscillation - Back and forth movement about an equilibrium position
Time period - Time for one wave to pass a point
Wave speed - The speed at which a wave moves through the medium (the speed at which energy is transferred)
Wavelength - Distance from a point on one wave to the equivalent point on the adjacent wave
Frequency - Number of waves passing a point per second
Equations
Time period:
t = 1/f
F = 1/t
Time period is measured in seconds
Frequency is measured in Hertz
Wave speed:
v = fλ
f = v/λ
λ = v/f
Wave speed is measured in metres/second
Frequency is measured in Hertz
Wavelength is measured in metres
Wave speed in a stretched spring
𝑇
v= µ
T= 𝑣 𝑥 µ
µ= 𝑇xv
v = Wave speed
T = Tension (Newtons)
µ = Mass per unit length (kg/m)
, Phase and Phase Difference
Key terms
Phase - The fraction of a period that a point completes
Phase difference - The difference in the phase angle of the two waves
The distance travelled by a wave in one oscillation is equal to its wavelength.
Circles are used to represent waves. One revolution around the circumference of a circle represents one oscillation
of a wave.
One full orbit around the circle = Distance of one wavelength travelled by a wave/phase of 2ℼ
Phase angles
Wave cycle Origin ¼ cycle ½ cycle 1 cycle 2 cycles
position
Phase in 0 90 180 360 720
degrees
Phase in 0 ℼ/2 ℼ 2ℼ 4ℼ
radians
Number of 0 λ/4 λ/2 λ 2λ
wavelengths
The phase at a point on the oscillation can be calculated using the distance from the origin in terms of the
wavelength.
If two points oscillating at the same frequency reach their maximum positive displacement at the same time, they
oscillate in phase
If two points reach their maximum positive displacement at different times, they are out of phase.
If one point reaches maximum positive displacement as another reaches maximum negative displacement, the
points oscillate in antiphase.
At a point of intersection, two waves oscillate antiphase if they are half an oscillation out of phase as time
progresses.
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