Vibrations and Waves

The Vibrating Objects Video Tutorial discusses the nature of a vibrating object as an object that vibrates to-and-fro about a fixed position. Concepts of damping, ocillating motion, and restoring force are discussed. Numerous examples, illustrations, and animations assist in the explanations.

The Periodic Motion Video Tutorial explains what is meant when saying that an object is undergoing periodic motion. The meaning of period, amplitude and frequency are described. Numerous representations are used to convey a conceptual understanding of an object that vibrates about a fixed position in a regular and repeated fashion.

The Pendulum Motion Video Tutorial provides a wealth of details about the motion of a pendulum. Discussion topics include forces, free-body diagrams, force analysis with components, changes in speed and direction, position-time graphs, velocity-time graphs, changes in kinetic and potential energy, and the period-length relationship.

The Mass On A Spring Video Tutorial describes the manner in which force, speed, acceleration, position, and kinetic and potential energies change over the course of the back-and-forth vibrational cycle of a mass on a spring. Both horizontal and vertical springs are addressed. Free-body diagrams, vector diagrams, position-time plots, velocity-time plots, and energy bar charts are among the representations that are presented in the video.

The Nature of a Wave Video Tutorial describes in plain-language the characteristics of waves and the manner in which wave motion differs from other types of motion. Numerous examples, illustrations, and animations assist in the explanations.

The Categories of Waves Video Tutorial describes the various ways of categorizing waves and explains how one category can be distinguished from other categories. Numerous examples, illustrations, and animations assist in the explanations.

The Anatomy of a Wave Video Tutorial explains the meaning of wavelength and amplitude, discusses how to count the number of waves in a diagram of a wave pattern, and describes how to calculate the wavelength and the amplitude from a diagram. Numerous examples, illustrations, and animations assist in the explanations.

The Frequency versus Period Video Tutorial explains the meaning of the concepts of frequency and period and applies them to wave motion. The formulas for calculating frequency and period are presented and two example calculations are performed.

The Speed of a Wave Video Tutorial explains the meaning of wave speed, how to calculate the speed of a wave, and the properties that affect the speed of a wave.

The Wave Equation Video Tutorial provides a logical derivation of the wave equation, demonstrates how to use it to solve physics word problems, and explains how changes in frequency effect the wavelength when the medium does not change.

The Boundary Behavior of Waves Video Tutorial describes with detail and explains the manner in which waves behave when they reach the end of a medium - whether it be a fixed end, a free end, or a boundary with a second medium. Numerous illustrations and animations are used in the explanations.

The Interference of Waves Video Tutorial explains the distinction between constructive and destructive forms of wave interference and discusses how to use the principle of superposition to determine the shape of the wave resulting from the interference of the two waves. Numerous examples are given.

The Doppler Effect Video Tutorial discusses the conceptual and mathematical nature of the Doppler effect. Four example problems, instructive diagrams, and animations assist in the explanations.

What is a standing wave? How is it different than a traveling wave? And why and how does a standing wave form? Join Mr. H for some clear talk on the physics of standing waves. In 8 minutes of time, you'll understand this topic more than you ever thought you could.

The Standing Waves and Harmonics Video Tutorial explains how to construct standing wave diagrams for the various harmonics of a string or rope and explains how the frequencies and the wavelengths of the various harmonics are related to each other. Numerous examples, illustrations, and animations assist in the explanations.

The Mathematics of Standing Waves Video Tutorial discusses the mathematic formulas associated with standing waves and an effective strategy to solving such problems. The use of the formulas and the strategy are then modeled to solve six example problems.