Waves and Oscillations

These are self-study video lectures focusing upon waves and periodic phenomena. Only basic calculus is assumed.

1. Introduction: Pulses and how they propagate; Creating pulses of different sizes and frequencies; Refresher on partial differentiation; The wave equation; Sinusoidal wave.

2. Standing Waves: The principle of superposition; Refresher on trigonometry; String clamped at one end; Standing waves; Basis of exponentials.

3. String Theory: Discrete and continuous systems; Newton’s Law applied to balls and springs; From discrete to continuous; Worked example: one fixed and one free end; The concept of string impedance.

4. Transfer of Energy and Information: Energy along a vibrating string; Learning to add

sine waves; Phase velocity versus group velocity;  Generating harmonics; The Doppler Effect.

5. Sound Propagation in Gases: Random motion of atoms; Sound as pressure waves; Behavior of gases under compression; Applying Newton’s Law; The wave equation for sound.

6. Interference, Diffraction, and Huygens Principle: Intensity and its fall off with distance; Interference of waves; Double slit interference; Huygen’s Principle; Diffraction.

7. Electromagnetic Waves: Electromagnetic plane waves; Polarization and polarizers; Reflection at a boundary; Speed in a medium and refraction; Application to microwaves. 

Reflection at a boundary;  Speed in a medium – refraction;  Application: microwaves.