Last updated on: 07/11/2009 Waves and SHM

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"IB Physics SL"

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Topic Outline--print off before _________

bulletUnit Objectives This is a summary of the syllabus statements that are detailed on the topic outline.
bulletUnderstand and apply the fundamental mechanics of oscillations and simple harmonic motion (SHM)
bulletExplain how energy is transferred during simple harmonic motion
bulletUnderstand the concept of damping with respect to oscillations
bulletUnderstand the concept of resonance and explain when/how it occurs
bulletExplain various applications of the concept of resonance, including both constructive and destructive forms of resonance
bulletExplain the various types of mechanical waves (transverse, longitudinal, and surface waves)
bulletUnderstand fundamental wave behaviors and characteristics
bulletUnderstand how the velocity of energy propagation depends on the medium through which the wave is moving
bulletCompare and contrast the behaviors of electromagnetic waves and mechanical waves
bulletUnderstand and apply Snell's law with respect to the behavior of light
bulletUnderstand the fundamental behaviors of wave reflection, refraction, and diffraction
bulletExplain what happens when two waves interact with each other

bulletUnit Activities
bulletInteractive lecture:  mechanical waves with a slinky
bulletRipple tank wave behavior
bulletPendulum oscillations
bulletHooke's Law
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bulletKey Terms
bulletOscillation
bulletdisplacement
bulletamplitude
bulletfrequency
bulletperiod
bulletangular frequency
bulletphase difference
bulletsimple harmonic motion
bulletHooke's law
bulletspring constant
bulletHertz
bulletdamped oscillation
bulletunder damping
bulletover damping
bulletcritical damping
bulletnatural frequency
bulletfundamental frequency
bulletforced oscillation
bulletresonance
bulletreflection
bulletrefraction
bulletdiffraction
bulletinterference

 

bulletKey terms (continued)
bulletwave pulse
bullettraveling (continuous, or progressive) wave
bulletmedium
bulletwave velocity
bulletpropagation of energy
bullettransverse wave
bullettrough
bulletcrest
bulletwavelength
bulletamplitude
bulletlongitudinal wave
bulletcompression
bulletrarefaction
bulletwavefront
bulletray
bulletelectromagnetic wave
bulletelectromagnetic spectrum
bulletSnell's law
bulletprinciple of superposition
bulletconstructive interference
bulletdestructive interference
 

 

bulletEquations

    

 

 

Path Difference = nl

Path difference =

 

bulletUnit Notes
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