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plz help AS physics

i dont understand how to answer questions relating to the direction in which a point on a wave vibrates if the wave is moving in a certain direction, plz help!!!
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Original post by me2*
i dont understand how to answer questions relating to the direction in which a point on a wave vibrates if the wave is moving in a certain direction, plz help!!!


That depends on whether it's a transverse wave (also known as S wave) like a wave in the sea in which case it's 90 degees to the waves direction of travel. perhaps visualise this as a rubber duck bobbing up and down it floats on wavy water.

or a longitudinal wave (P wave) like a sound wave in which case it's forward and backward in the same direction as the waves direction of travel.
Original post by me2*
i dont understand how to answer questions relating to the direction in which a point on a wave vibrates if the wave is moving in a certain direction, plz help!!!

First identify if the wave is transverse or longitudinal.

For instance, wiggling a skipping rope produces a transverse wave where the shape of the rope looks like a sinusoid.

Sound moving through air produces a longitudinal wave formed by pressure compression and rarefaction of the air.

Longitudinal waves move particles back and forth parallel to the wave propagation. (direction of travel of the wave).

Transverse waves move the particle perpendicular to the direction of wave travel.

http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/waves/Lesson-1/Categories-of-Waves
Reply 4
Avatar for mrbeady9
mrbeady9
8
If you would like to know the direction of travel at a certain point on a transverse wave, simply draw a wave in front of it. As seen in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka_NNaBT4s0#t=79, it's a really easy way of working it out.

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