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Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  1

Lecture 23: Harmonic Waves and
the Wave Equation

Today’s  Concept:
Harmonic  Waves

Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  2

 What is a Wave?
A  wave  is  a  traveling  disturbance  that  transports  energy  
but  not  matter.

Examples:
Ø Sound  waves  (air  moves  back  &  forth)

Ø Stadium  waves  (people  move  up  &  down)

Largest  in  history???
Ø Water  waves  (water  moves  up  &  down)

Ø Light  waves  (what  moves?)

Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  3

 Types of Waves
Transverse:  The  medium  oscillates  perpendicular  to  the  direction  the  
wave  is  moving.  This  is  what  we  study  in  Physics  2210.

Longitudinal: The  medium  oscillates  in  the  same  direction  as  the  
wave  is  moving.

Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  4

From  sinusoidal  function  to  traveling  wave
Start  with  a  drawing  of   cos(✓)

✓ = 2⇡

θ
−2π −π π 2π

Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  5

From  sinusoidal  function  to  traveling  wave
Start  with  a  drawing  of   cos(✓)
Write  angle  as  a  function  of  position: ✓ = kx ! cos(✓) = cos(kx)
Ø Wavelength: ⇣ x⌘
Ø Wave  number: k = 2⇡/ ! cos(kx) = cos 2⇡

x=

Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  6

From  sinusoidal  function  to  traveling  wave
Start  with  a  drawing  of   cos(✓)
Write  angle  as  a  function  of  position: ✓ = kx ! cos(✓) = cos(kx)
Ø Wavelength: ⇣ x⌘
Ø Wave  number: k = 2⇡/ ! cos(kx) = cos 2⇡
Shift  the  wave  by  adding  a  “phase  angle”: cos(kx) ! cos(kx )

x=

Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  7

From  sinusoidal  function  to  traveling  wave
Start  with  a  drawing  of   cos(✓)
Write  angle  as  a  function  of  position: ✓ = kx ! cos(✓) = cos(kx)
Ø Wavelength: ⇣ x⌘
Ø Wave  number: k = 2⇡/ ! cos(kx) = cos 2⇡
Shift  the  wave  by  adding  a  “phase  angle”: cos(kx) ! cos(kx )
Let  the  phase  angle  vary  in  time: = !t ! cos(kx !t)

x=

Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  8

From  sinusoidal  function  to  traveling  wave
Multiply  by  an  amplitude  to  give  physical  dimensions:
cos(kx !t) ! y(x, t) = A cos(kx !t)

x=

A
x

Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  9

 Wave Properties
Wavelength:  
The  distance  λ between  identical  points  on  the  wave.
Amplitude:  
The  maximum  displacement  A of  a  point  on  the  wave.
Period:  
The  time  P it  takes  for  an  element  of  the  medium  to  make  one  
complete  oscillation.

y = A cos(kx − ωt ) λ

2π 2π
ω= = 2π f k=
P λ
Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  10
 A B
Wave speed vs. Rope speed C D
Imagine  we  have  a  sinusoidal  wave  on  a  rope:
Student  question:    “what  is  k  doing  here?”
y = A cos(kx − ωt )
λ

A
x

The  horizontal  axis  shown  is:

A)    A  time  axis. B)    A  space  axis.

2⇡ In  this  situation,  k is  called  the  wavenumber  or  wavevector.    

k= It  has  units  of  inverse  length  and  characterizes  how  the  
wave  varies  in  space  (i.e.,  when  time  is  “frozen”).
Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  11
 A B
Wave speed vs. Rope speed C D
Imagine  we  have  a  sinusoidal  wave  on  a  rope:
y
λ

A
x

If   y = A cos ( kx − ω t ) then Aω sin ( kx − ω t ) gives:  

A)    The  horizontal  speed  of  the  wave.
B)    The  vertical  speed  of  a  segment  of  rope.

Aω sin ( kx − ω t ) This  is  the  speed  of  a  segment  of  

rope  at  position  x and  time  t.

Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  12

 Wave speed vs. Rope speed
Imagine  we  have  a  sinusoidal  wave  on  a  rope:
y
λ

A
x

To  find  the  speed  of  the  wave,  first  pick  out  a  distinctive  feature  
of  the  wave  (e.g.,  a  peak).
That  feature  corresponds  to  a  particular  value  of  the  cosine  (or  
sine)  function,  which  does  not  change  in  time:
dx
kx !t = constant vwave =
y = A cos(kx !t) dt
constant + !t !
Constant  in  time x= = = f
k k
Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  13
 A B
ACT C D

If  a  function  moving  to  the  right  with  speed   y y = f (x − vt)

v is  described  by    f (x - vt) then  what   v

describes  the  same  function  moving  to  
the  left  with  speed  v? x
0

A) y = - f (x - vt) v

B) y = f (x + vt) x
0
C)    y = f (-x + vt)

Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  14

 Suppose  the  function  has  its  maximum  at  f (0). y

x – vt = 0 v
y = f (x - vt)
x = vt x
0
y

A)    y = - f (x - vt) x – vt = 0 v 0
v
x = vt
x
x + vt = 0
B)    y = f (x + vt) v y
x = -vt
v
-x + vt = 0 v
C)    y = f (-x + vt)
x = vt x
0
Moves  to  the  right  when  the  signs  in  front  of  the  x and  t terms  are  different
Moves  to  the  left  when  the  signs  in  front  of  the  x and  t terms  are  the  same
Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  15
 CheckPoint: Wave Equation
We  have  shown  that  the  functional  form  y(x,t) = Acos(kx − ωt)
represents  a  wave  moving  in  the  +x direction.  
y
A
x

Which  of  the  following  represents  a  wave  moving  in  the  –x direction?
A)      y(x,t) = Acos(ωt – kx) B)      y(x,t) = Asin(kx – ωt) C)      y(x,t) = Acos(kx + ωt)

A)      y(x,t) = Acos(ωt − kx)

I  have  no  clue  but  this  is  the  only  answer  with  a  “-­‐”  in  front  of  the  x.  Plus,  its  
derivative,  velocity,  is  negative  so  that  helps  with  my  reasoning.
C)    y(x,t) = Acos(kx + ωt)
As  the  wave  reaches  its  amplitude,  kx+wt=0;  which  means  if  t  is  increasing  
constantly  at  all  times  then  x  must  increase  constantly  in  the  -­‐ direction  as  well.

Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  16

 How to make a Function Move
y

Suppose  we  have  some  function  y = f (x):

x
0
y

f (x − a) is  just  the  same  shape  moved

a  distance  a to  the  right:
x
0 x =a

y
Let    a = vt Then   f (x − vt) will  describe  
the  same  shape  moving  to  the  right   v
with  speed  v.
x
0 x = vt
Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  17
 Harmonic  Wave
Consider  a  wave  that  is   y λ
harmonic  in  x and  has  a   A
wavelength  of λ. x

If  the  amplitude  is  maximum  at ⎛ 2π ⎞

x  =  0  it  has  the  functional  form: y ( x) = A cos⎜ x⎟
⎝ λ ⎠

y
Now,  if  this  is  moving  to  the   v  
right  with  speed  v it  will  be   x
described  by:

⎛ 2π
y ( x) = A cos⎜ (x − vt )⎞⎟ = Acos(kx − ωt )
⎝ λ ⎠
Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  18
Transverse  Wave  on  a  String

Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  19

 CheckPoint: Wave Frequency 1
y

A
x
y
B x

Waves  A and  B shown  above  are  propagating  in  the  same  

medium.  How  do  their  frequencies  compare?

A)  ωA >  ωB

B)  ωA <  ωB
C)  ωA =  ωB

Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  20

 A B
CheckPoint : Discuss and Re-vote C D
y
A x
y
B x
Waves  A and  B shown  above  are  propagating  in  the  same  medium.  
How  do  their  frequencies  compare?
A)  ωA <  ωB B)  ωA = ωB C)  ωA >  ωB
s
T !
v= = = f= Which  one  has  the  larger  wavelength?
µ P 2⇡
A)  As  they  both   have  the  same  velocities,   and  the  wavelength  of  A  is  larger,   the  frequency  
must  be  smaller  than  that  of  B.  

B)  The  tension  and  mass  density   are  the  same  in  both  strings   so  they  have  the  same  
frequency.  
C)  It's  period   is  shorter.  
Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  21
 A B
ACT C D

The  speed  of  sound  in  air  is  a  bit  over  300  m/s,  and  the  speed  of  
light  in  air  is  about  300,000,000  m/s.    

Suppose  we  make  a  sound  wave  and  a  light  wave  that  both  have  a  
wavelength  of  3  meters.  What  is  the  ratio  of  the  frequency  of  the  
light  wave  to  that  of  the  sound  wave?

v
A)  About    1,000,000 v = f =) f =
B)  About    0.000001 vlight vsound
flight = fsound =
C)  About    1000 light sound

flight vlight
= = 106
fsound vsound

Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  22

Energy

Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  23

 CheckPoint: Wave Frequency 2
y
A x
y
B x

Waves  A  and  B shown  above  are  propagating  in  the  same  

medium  with  the  same  amplitude.  Which  one  carries  the  most  
energy  per  unit  length?
A)    A
B)    B
C)    They  carry  the  same  energy  per  unit  length

Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  24

 CheckPoint Results: Wave Frequency 2
y
A x
y
B x

Which  one  carries  the  most  energy  per  unit  length?

A)    A                    B)    B C)    Same
! 2⇡v
vwave = f = =) ! =
2⇡
s
T
Also,  vwave is  the  same  for  both: vwave =
µ

So:     !A < !B =) !A
2 2
< !B

Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  25

 Homework Problem
y = Asin(kx + ωt )

A
ω
f =
2π
2π
λ=
k
ω
v= fλ =
k

Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  26

 Homework Problem

T
v= T = v2µ
µ

Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  27

 Homework Problem

ω
f =
2π

y = Asin(kx + ωt )
dy
vy = = ω A cos(kx + ωt )
dt
dvy
ay = = −ω 2 Asin ( kx + ω t )
dt
Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  28
 Homework Problem

ω
f =
2π

Average  speed  =  distance  traveled  /  time  taken

Distance  traveled  by  a  piece  of  rope  during  one  period  is  4A
Mechanics  Lecture  23,  Slide  29