Categories of Waves

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 video lesson answers the following questions:

What are the various ways to categorize waves?

Video

You can watch the video below, or click here to watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab).

To improve the effectiveness of the learning experience, The Physics Classroom has provided the following tools:

Additional and Related Learning Tools

Physics Interactives: Waves and Sound - Simple Wave Simulator
A simulation provides a phun, interactive way to explore a topic. That's what you'll find on this page. Spend some time changing variables and observing the result. Also observe the transverse (waves in a rope) and longitudinal (sound waves in air) options. After playing, check your understanding with our Concept Checker.

Physics Interactives: Waves and Sound - Slinky Lab
Don't have a Slinky? No problem. Visit our Slinky lab and start shaking. Change the properties of the Slinky and see the effect. Then after some learning, top off the experience with a Concept Checker. It's like a cherry on a sundae. Hmmm. Enjoy.

Minds On Physics, Wave Motion Module, Mission WM1, Nature and Categories of Waves
Very few students do Minds On Physics because they think it's phun. But lots of students do Minds On Physics because they know it works. Assuming you've watched our previous video on the nature of a wave, give this one a try. Use the Help button (textbook icon) when you encounter difficulties.

Physics Classroom Tutorial: Vibrations and Waves Chapter, Lesson 1 - Categories of Waves?
Our written tutorial pages provide a thorough, easy-to-understand, common-sense approach to Physics topics. This particular page addresses the same topics covered in the video. As such, it makes a great reference for a quick check-up or clarification of an idea.

Teacher Resources

Curriculum Corner: Wave Motion
Try our Curriculum Corner for a Think Sheet or a whole unit of Think Sheets and get your students thinking about waves. If the video is homework; then these are awesome next day starters. This is free curriculum for the taking. And for a few extra bucks, you can obtain the source documents and purchase a license to place them and any deriviative from them on your course management pages; see the Solutions Guide.

Physics Interactives: Waves and Sound - Simple Wave Simulator
This is a very popular simulation and one worth using with your classes. It comes with a classroom-ready student activity sheet. And don't forget the Concept Checker as a follow-up. Between our video, our simulations, and you're usual engaging labs, you're going to have some awesome lesson plans.

Physics Interactives: Waves and Sound - Slinky Lab
Don't have a Slinky or a class set of Snakies and Slinkies? All of them tangled up from student mis-use? No problem. Visit our Slinky lab and start shaking. There's no way the students are going to ruin one. Combine the sim with the use of our classroom-ready student activity sheet and pair these with the Concept Checker.

Minds On Physics, Wave Motion Module, Mission WM1, Nature and Categories of Waves
Very few students do Minds On Physics because they think it's phun. But lots of students do Minds On Physics because they know it works. Here's a MOP mission on the Nature of a Wave (previous video in our series) and the Categories of Waves (this video).

Lesson Notes

Download (opens in a new tab) or view below

Slides

Do you like the slides we used? They are available in our low cost Teacher Presentation Pack, along with other updated materials used in our presentation.