Summary

• Waves: Moving patterns

  • Water waves (height), Vibration of string: (displacement)
  • Sound: pressure wave
  • Light: Electromagnetic wave (also radio, x-rays, …..)

• Waves described by:

  • Amplitude A, Frequency n, Wavelength l
  • Velocity v = l n

• Velocity of waves:

  • determined by the medium through which it is transmitted
  • Sound in air, around 340 m/s
  • Light in vacuum, around 3 x 108 m/s

• Interference is a key general property of waves

• Contrast with particles - objects with mass. In classical physics they are completely different - never show interference

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