Waves I

Syllabus tag: KCSE | Physics | Form 2 | Topic 18 Waves I

Lesson objectives

By the end of this topic, you should be able to:

• Define a wave and distinguish transverse from longitudinal waves.
• Define amplitude, wavelength, frequency, period and speed.
• Apply the wave equation v = fλ.
• Describe mechanical and electromagnetic waves and their properties.

Summary

A wave transfers energy from one point to another without transferring matter. Transverse waves vibrate perpendicular to the direction of travel; longitudinal waves vibrate along it. The three quantities are linked by the wave equation v = fλ, and period is the reciprocal of frequency.