PX154 - F1a - concepts and definitions

types of waves

mechanical

[YF ch 15, 16]

• sound wave
• waves through solid materials
• waves at sea
• piano string

electromagnetic

• light, x-ray, gamma, IR, etc
• can travel through vacuum
• can travel through media
• gets complicated...

matter waves

• quantum mechanics, wave-particle duality
• sometimes treat particles as having wave behaviour

concepts and definitions

[YF 15.2, 15.3]

• initially, we will consider travelling waves
• for now, use one-dimensional propagation
• no translation of material with the wave
  • the material oscillates about a fixed position
• we need a wavefunction, that includes position and time dependence