Wave Speed Formula

Wave Speed Formula

A wave is a disturbance that propagates from one end of a medium to the other. Students can observe an ocean wave as it travels across the medium, which is ocean water. Additionally, they might see that over the course of a certain amount of time, the wave’s crest moves from one place to another. It is seen that this crest travels a distance. As is common knowledge, an object’s speed is defined as how quickly it is travelling and is typically stated as the distance covered in one unit of time. The Wave Speed Formula has been explained descriptively on the learning resources provided on the Extramarks website with examples for students. The Wave Speed Formula solutions that are available on the Extramarks website and mobile application might help them understand the idea of the Wave Speed Formula.

Wave Speed Formula

An example of a disturbance in a moving medium is a wave. Ocean waves travel across a medium, and students may observe their progression from one point to another. An object’s motion can be described in terms of speed, which corresponds to the object’s velocity. 

When a source vibrates and disrupts a particle in the medium, this wave is seen. As an example, consider a tuning fork or the way water ripples when an object is thrown.

A wave may occasionally run into the confines of a medium. Any wave that is introduced into one end of a slinky will pass through it. It will eventually reach the slinky’s end and come into contact with another person’s hand. Reflection is one significant process that waves go through at the end of a medium. The person’s hand will catch the wave’s reflection. A wave that reflects simply changes its direction of travel while remaining inside the medium. 

The Wave Speed Formula has been mentioned and highlighted in the notes and solutions for Wave Speed Formula provided by Extramarks’ experts. These notes and solutions based on the Wave Speed Formula can be used by students for self-study purposes. The notes and solutions based on the Wave Speed Formula also contain high-quality illustrations and diagrams to help students better understand the concepts clearly. Examples have been provided wherever needed throughout the solutions for the Wave Speed Formula provided by Extramarks.

What is a wave?

Think of a rope with a ribbon attached to it that is flicked up and down. Think of the rope as having a waveform, whereas the ribbon is still in its original position and only moves up and down. Think of a stone dropped into a peaceful lake. The stone creates concentric ripples as soon as it touches the water’s surface. A leaf on the water’s surface will just bobble up and down before returning to its original position after the ripple has passed. What is a wave’s path? What is the most accurate method to explain how a wave moves? Students will learn more about what the Wave Speed Formula is and how to calculate the Wave Speed Formula through the solutions of the Wave Speed Formula published on the Extramarks website and mobile application.

Formula

The Wave Speed Formula is related to its wavelength and frequency as

v=νλ

Where v is the velocity of the wave, ν

 is the frequency of the wave and 

λ

, its wavelength.

Solved Examples

• Example 1: 

What is the speed of a wave with a 0.5 m wavelength and a 600 Hz frequency? 

Solution: 

λ = 0.5 m, v\s= 600 Hz, v =? 

v = ν\s×λ\s = 600 × 0.5 = 300 m/s 

= 600 × 0.5 = 300 m/s

• Example 2:

In a medium, a wave moves with a speed of v. The wave would have moved at the following speed if its wavelength and frequency were each half as large: 

Choices include (a) v (b) 2 v (c) v/2 4 v 

Answer: (a)