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Computer-based demonstration of waveforms, using a Java applet - Succeed in Physical Science. Also refer to physics, light, sound, transverse, longitudinal, polarize, Gaussian, frequency, Ron Kurtus, School for Champions. Copyright © Restrictions

Simulated Waveform Demonstration

by Ron Kurtus (revised 26 October 1999)

Have you ever noticed the vibrations on a guitar string? Or seen how polarized sunglasses cut glare? Or heard the throbbing variations of sound in an airliner? These are examples of different waveforms.

The following material is a computer-based demonstration of these waveforms using a Java applet.

(Note that your browser must be capable of using Java 1.1 for this simulation to work. It is a 51K applet, which is relatively large, so it may take several seconds until it is completely downloaded.)

So, let's see some waveforms!

Waveforms

Examples of transverse waves are those you would see on a vibrating string such as a guitar string, water waves, and electromagnetic waves--including visible light.

The guitar string and water waves vibrate in one direction and thus are called linear waves. Electromagnetic waves vibrate in all directions.

Linear waves

A guitar string vibrates only in one direction and is called a linear wave. The first example of our demonstration shows this type of waveform. Click here and then click on Linear wave.

Polarization

A polarizing filter is a special material that only allows waves vibrating in one direction to pass through it and blocks off waves vibrating in the other directions. It essentially changes a waveform that is vibrating in all directions to become a linear wave vibrating in only one direction.

An example of using polarization is the special sunglasses people wear to cut the reflected glare when driving a car or sailing in a boat.

One special characteristic of a polarizing filter is that if may shift the phase of the wave. This can be seen in the second demonstration. Click here and then click on Linear wave with polarizer.

Circular wave

Some special filters will shift the phase of all directions in an electromagnetic wave, such that it appears to be circular. The demonstration shows how the wave vibration constantly changes its orientation. Click here and then click on Circular wave.

Circular wave with polarizing filter

Since a polarizing filter only lets light that is vibrating in one direction pass through, its effect on a circular wave is similar to that on a standard electromagnetic wave, as seen in the demonstration. Click here and then click on Circular wave with polarizer.

Linear electromagnetic wave

An electromagnetic wave consists of an electrical wave and a magnetic wave that are perpendicular to each other. For the sake of convenience, the first two demonstrations of a linear wave did not include the magnetic portion of the waveform. In reality, a linear electromagnetic wave appears as in the demonstration.

Click here and then click on Linear E&M wave.

Gaussian waveform

There are some situations--especially in electronics--where a waveform is not sinusoidal. Instead, it follow a Gaussian shape--which is the bell-shape of a probability curve. The demonstration show this. Click here and then click on Gaussian.

Beats

When two wavelengths that are only slightly different are added together, the resulting waveform is a beat. The inner frequency is the average of the two, which the outer envelope defines the frequency of the difference between the two.

Piano tuners use beats to tell if a piano is slightly out of tune compared with a tuning fork. The pulsating hum you often hear in an airliner is caused by the engines vibrating at lightly different frequencies. Of course, sound waves are compression waves, but they may be illustrated as transverse waves, as shown in the following demonstration.

Click here and then click on Beats.

Demonstration

The application below is a demonstration of the various waveforms.

You can rotate and stretch the axes by clicking and dragging on various parts.

Wave forms

Click on each link below to see that waveform.

Click on the waveform and drag it to the right or left to rotate about the z axis.

Click and drag up or down to rotate in the x-y plane.

 

Credit for applet

Special thanks go to Mike Lee, Wolfgang Christian and the Web Physics staff at Davidson College in Davidson, South Carolina for developing this Java applet and making it available.

In conclusion

Waveforms for transverse waves can be linear, circular, and in all directions. They can be polarized and can have such shapes as Gaussian and beats.

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