Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - SHS 2
WAVES
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WAVES
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Subject: Physics
Class: SHS 2
Term: 1st Term
Week: 16
Grade code: 2.2.2.LI.2
Strand code: 2
Sub-strand code: 2
Content standard code: 2.2.2.CS.1
Indicator code: 2.2.2.LI.2
Theme: ENERGY
Subtheme: WAVES
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This lesson introduces the fundamental concept of waves, which are all around us. Waves are responsible for how we see (light), how we hear (sound), how we communicate over long distances (radio waves for our phones and favourite radio stations), and even how energy travels across the ocean to the shores of Labadi or Cape Coast. Understanding how to classify waves is the first step to mastering this important topic in Physics. We will explore the different "families" of waves based on how they are made and how they travel. This knowledge is crucial for future studies in optics, sound, and modern physics.
What is a Wave? At its core, a wave is a disturbance or vibration that travels through a medium or space, transferring energy from one point to another without transferring matter.
Think about dropping a stone into a bucket of still water. You see ripples move outwards. The ripples are the wave. The wave carries energy outwards, but the water itself mostly just moves up and down; it doesn't travel across the bucket with the ripple. Similarly, when you and your friend hold a long rope and you shake one end, a wave travels to your friend, carrying the energy you put in, but the pieces of the rope just move up and down.
We can classify waves in three main ways:
Classification 1: Based on the Need for a Medium