Student Exploration: Waves
Vocabulary: amplitude, compression, crest, frequency, longitudinal wave, medium,
period,power, rarefaction, transverse wave, trough, wave, wavelength, wave speed
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
1. A buoy is anchored to the ocean floor. A large wave
approachesthe buoy. How will the buoy move as the wave
goes by?
A buoy will move down and up as the wave goes by.
2. The two images show side views of ocean waves. How are the two sets of waves
different?
The first wave is a
longitudinal wave and the
other one is a transverse
wave also in the second one
the distance is separated
more.
Gizmo Warm-up
Ocean swells are an example of waves. In the Waves
, Gizmo™,you will observe wave motion on a model of a
spring. The hand can move the spring up and down or back
and forth.
To begin, check that the Type of wave is Transverse, Amplitude is 20.0 cm,
Frequency is
0.75 Hz, Tension is 3.0 N, and Density is 1.0 kg/m. Click Play ( ).
1. How would you describe the motion of a transverse wave?
The wave moves left to right while the hand moves up and down.
Click Pause ( ). Notice the crests (high points) and troughs (low points) of the
wave.
2. Click Reset ( ). For the Type of wave, choose Longitudinal. Increase the
Amplitude to
20.0 cm, and click Play. How would you describe the motion of a longitudinal
wave?
In this wave the hand is moving from left to right as well as the wave.
Click Pause. Notice the compressions in the wave where the coils of the spring
model areclose together and the rarefactions where the coils are spread apart.