Grade 10
  1. Mechanics  1.1. Dynamics  1.1.1. Motion in one dimension  1.1.2. Motion in two dimensions  1.1.3. Displacement and Distance  1.1.4. Speed and Velocity  1.1.5. Acceleration  1.1.6. Graphical representation of motion  1.1.7. Equations of motion  1.1.8. Free fall and acceleration due to gravity  1.1.9. Projectile motion  1.1.10. Relative speed  1.2. Dynamics  1.2.1. Newton's Laws of Motion  1.2.2. Inertia and mass  1.2.3. Force and its types  1.2.4. action and reaction force  1.2.5. Friction and its effects  1.2.6. Coefficient of friction  1.2.7. Circular motion  1.2.8. Centripetal force and centripetal acceleration  1.2.9. Momentum and Impulse  1.2.10. Conservation of momentum  1.2.11. Newton's third law and applications  1.3. Work, Energy and Power  1.3.1. Work done by the force  1.3.2. Work–energy theorem  1.3.3. Kinetic energy  1.3.4. Potential energy  1.3.5. Mechanical energy  1.3.6. Energy Conservation  1.3.7. Power and efficiency  1.3.8. Renewable and non-renewable energy sources  1.4. Gravitational force  1.4.1. Newton's law of universal gravitation  1.4.2. Gravitational field and field strength  1.4.3. Acceleration due to gravity on different planets  1.4.4. Kepler's laws of planetary motion  1.4.5. Orbits and satellites  1.4.6. Weight and apparent weight  1.4.7. Gravitational potential energy
  2. Properties of matter  2.1. States of matter  2.1.1. Solid, liquid and gas  2.1.2. Molecular structure of matter  2.1.3. Intermolecular forces  2.1.4. Plasma and Bose–Einstein condensate  2.2. Pressure  2.2.1. Definition of Pressure  2.2.2. Pressure in liquids  2.2.3. Atmospheric pressure  2.2.4. Pascal's principle  2.2.5. Archimedes' Principle and Buoyancy  2.2.6. Surface tension and capillarity  2.3. Elasticity  2.3.1. Hooke's law  2.3.2. Stress and strain  2.3.3. Elastic Limit and Modulus of Elasticity  2.3.4. Applications of Elasticity
  3. Thermal physics  3.1. heat and temperature  3.1.1. Difference Between Heat and Temperature  3.1.2. Temperature scale  3.1.3. Thermal expansion  3.1.4. Thermal equilibrium  3.2. Heat transfer  3.2.1. Conductivity  3.2.2. Convection  3.2.3. Radiation  3.2.4. Insulation and its applications  3.3. Thermal properties of matter  3.3.1. Specific heat capacity  3.3.2. Latent heat and phase change  3.3.3. Boiling and Melting Point  3.3.4. Heat engines and refrigeration  3.4. Laws of Thermodynamics  3.4.1. Zeroth law of thermodynamics  3.4.2. First law of thermodynamics  3.4.3. Second law of thermodynamics  3.4.4. Carnot cycle
  4. Waves and optics  4.1. Nature and properties of waves  4.1.1. Types of waves in nature and properties of waves  4.1.2. Transverse and longitudinal waves  4.1.3. Wave parameters  4.1.4. Reflection and refraction of waves  4.1.5. Superposition and Interference  4.1.6. Standing Waves and Resonance  4.1.7. Doppler effect  4.2. Sound waves  4.2.1. Characteristics of sound waves  4.2.2. Speed of sound in different mediums  4.2.3. Applications of sound waves  4.2.4. Ultrasound and its uses  4.3. Light Waves and Optics  4.3.1. Nature of light  4.3.2. Reflection of light  4.3.3. Laws of reflection  4.3.4. Mirrors and Image Formation  4.3.5. Refraction of light  4.3.6. Snell's Law  4.3.7. Lenses and Image Formation  4.3.8. Total internal reflection and critical angle  4.3.9. Optical fibre  4.4. Optical Instruments  4.4.1. Microscope  4.4.2. Telescope  4.4.3. Human eye and vision defects  4.4.4. Camera and its working principle
  5. Electricity and Magnetism  5.1. Electrostatics  5.1.1. Electric charge and its properties  5.1.2. Conductors and Insulators  5.1.3. Coulomb's law  5.1.4. Electric field and field lines  5.1.5. Electric potential and potential difference  5.1.6. Capacitors and Capacitance  5.2. Current Electricity  5.2.1. Electric current and its measurement  5.2.2. Ohm's law  5.2.3. Resistance and resistivity  5.2.4. Series and Parallel Circuits  5.2.5. Electric power and energy  5.2.6. Kirchhoff's Laws  5.3. Magnetism and Electromagnetism  5.3.1. Magnetic field and field lines  5.3.2. Magnetic effects of electric current  5.3.3. Electromagnetic induction  5.3.4. Faraday's laws of electromagnetic induction  5.3.5. Transformers and Applications  5.3.6. AC and DC current
  6. Modern Physics  6.1. Nuclear physics  6.1.1. Structure of the atom  6.1.2. Bohr's atomic model  6.1.3. Electron Energy Levels  6.1.4. X-rays and applications  6.2. Radioactivity  6.2.1. Types of radiation  6.2.2. Half-life and radioactive decay  6.2.3. Nuclear reactions and applications  6.2.4. Fission and Fusion  6.3. Quantum physics  6.3.1. Wave–particle duality  6.3.2. Photoelectric effect  6.3.3. Energy quantization  6.3.4. Heisenberg's uncertainty principle
  7. Electronics and Communication  7.1. Semiconductors  7.1.1. Conductors, Insulators and Semiconductors  7.1.2. Diodes and their applications  7.1.3. Transistors and Logic Gates  7.1.4. LEDs and photodiodes  7.2. Communication Systems  7.2.1. Basics of communication  7.2.2. Analog and digital signals  7.2.3. Wireless and optical fibre communication  7.2.4. Radio Waves and Modulation

Grade 10 → Waves and optics → Nature and properties of waves ↓


Types of waves in nature and properties of waves


In physics, understanding waves is important because they play an integral role in many natural and technological processes. Waves can be seen and felt in our daily lives, from sound waves to the light waves that allow us to see. In this lesson, we will explore the different types of waves in nature and discuss their key properties in the context of waves and optics.

Understanding waves

A wave is essentially a disturbance that transfers energy from one point to another without actual transfer of matter. The medium through which a wave travels can be solid, liquid or gas. Some waves require no medium and can travel through a vacuum.

For example, when you drop a stone into a pond, you will see ripples on the surface of the water moving outward in concentric circles. These ripples are oscillations on the surface of the water that transfer energy outward from the point of impact.

Key properties of waves

To fully understand the nature of waves, it is necessary to understand their general properties:

  1. Wavelength ( λ ): It is the distance between successive crests or troughs of a wave. It is usually represented by the Greek letter λ and is usually measured in metres.
  2. Frequency ( f ): It is the number of waves passing a given point per second. It is measured in Hertz (Hz).
  3. Amplitude: It refers to the maximum displacement of a point on the wave from its rest position. Amplitude is a measure of the energy of the wave.
  4. Speed ( v ): The speed of a wave is the rate at which the wave propagates through the medium. The speed of a wave is calculated as:
    v = f * λ
  5. Period ( T ): It is the time taken for one complete oscillation or cycle of the wave.
    T = 1 / f

Types of waves

There are many different types of waves found in nature. We can classify waves in different ways depending on their direction of motion, the medium required, and other characteristics.

1. Mechanical waves

Mechanical waves require a medium to travel. They cannot propagate in a vacuum. Mechanical waves are further classified into longitudinal and transverse waves.

Longitudinal waves

In longitudinal waves, the particles of the medium move parallel to the direction of wave propagation. A common example of this is sound waves traveling through the air. You can imagine this as a series of compressions and rarefactions moving through a Slinky toy.

Consider the following visual example:

Here, the particles (represented as circles) compress and expand, and move parallel to the direction of the wave.

Transverse waves

In transverse waves the particles of the medium move perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation. Water waves and electromagnetic waves are examples of transverse waves.

Consider a wave on a string:

In the visual example above, the vertical displacement of the waveform represents the motion of the particles perpendicular to the wave direction.

2. Electromagnetic waves

Electromagnetic waves do not require a medium and can travel in a vacuum. They are produced by the vibration of charged particles and include radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays and gamma rays. The speed of electromagnetic waves in a vacuum is about 299,792,458 meters per second, often quoted as being equal to 300,000,000 m/s.

3. Surface waves

Surface waves are a mixture of longitudinal and transverse waves. They occur at the interface between two different media, such as the Earth's surface (seismic waves) or the surface of water.

An example of surface waves are the waves you see on an ocean or lake. These waves have a circular motion with particles moving both parallel and perpendicular to the wave direction.

Properties of waves in optics

When it comes to optics, light is the primary focus. Light behaves as both a wave and a particle, known as wave-particle duality. Here, let's focus on its wave properties.

Reflection of waves

Reflection occurs when a wave bounces back after hitting a boundary. In optics, this can be observed when light reflects off surfaces such as mirrors. The law of reflection states that the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.

In the visual example, the red lines represent the incident and reflected waves, while the gray line is the normal to the surface.

Refraction of waves

Refraction occurs when a wave changes direction as it travels from one medium to another due to a change in speed. A common example of refraction is the bending of light as it enters water from air.

The refractive index ( n ) is a measure of how much the speed of light is reduced within a medium compared to a vacuum.

Diffraction of waves

Diffraction is the bending of waves around obstacles or through holes. This property can be seen especially in sound waves and radio waves. For example, you can hear someone speaking even if they are around the corner.

Interference of waves

Interference occurs when two or more waves overlap and combine to form a new wave pattern. This can be constructive (amplifying the wave) or destructive (attenuating the wave).

A practical example of interference is noise-cancelling headphones, which use destructive interference to reduce unwanted ambient sounds.

Doppler effect

The Doppler effect occurs when the frequency and wavelength of a wave changes with respect to an observer moving relative to the source of the wave. A well-known example of this is the change in the sound of a siren when an emergency vehicle passes.

With this understanding of the different wave types, properties, and behaviors, you have a solid foundation for studying waves in the field of waveguides and optics. Waves are a fascinating subject, rich in theory and practical applications that you will encounter in various aspects of science and engineering.


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Types of waves in nature and properties of waves

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