Waves

Wave motion appears all around us, from water waves and mechanical waves to light, sound and even gravitational waves. Waves can transfer energy from one place to another, and carry information. Many applications of physics are based on controlling and manipulating wave behaviour, and to do this, we first need to understand their properties and characteristic phenomena.

• IMPORTANT: Reading memos
• Recommended books

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Lessons

• Wave definitions and the wave equation
• Superposition
  • Wave superposition applet
  • Wave superposition worksheet
• Stationary waves

• Polarization
• Young's slits
• HALF TERM
• Young's slits equation
• Young's slits eduqas practical
• Young's slits practice
• Diffraction

Notes

In lessons we shall discuss any questions and go through examples mainly. For each lesson, you must complete an online reading memo on via the MIT interface by 9.30 p.m. the evening before the lesson.

• Progressive waves
• Superposition
• Polarization
• Interference | reading memo | with your annotations
• Diffractio! | reading memo
• Diffraction grating | reading memo

Prep

• Mirror reflexion
• Isaac Physics path difference

Other interesting stuff

• Why the sky is blue not violet (Veritasium)
• Where is the brightest part of a shadow? (Veritasium)
• Width of human hair by laser diffraction
• Human hair data collection page