Newton’s First Law of Motion states that a body that sits still or moves with a constant velocity with respect to a motionless observer will have its status unaltered until acted upon by an unbalanced force. Such a change in motion is accompanied by an acceleration, which is a change of velocity of an object:Continue reading “INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRONICS: Energy and Power ( Part 2 )”
Tag Archives: frequency
OSCILLATIONS AND WAVES: The Period of a Pendulum
Q: A pendulum has a length of 2.45 m. How many seconds will it take the pendulum to swing through one complete cycle? Does the mass of the pendulum influence the period? Why or why not? A: This question regards the period ( T ) of a pendulum. The period ( T ) is definedContinue reading “OSCILLATIONS AND WAVES: The Period of a Pendulum”
RADIANT ENERGY: Wavenumber, Angular Frequency, and the Wave Nature of Light
Trigonometric functions such as sin ( θ ) and cos ( θ ) are commonly used to model the oscillating motion of traveling waves. In the diagram above, a complete wave cycle occurs from crest-to-crest, trough-to-trough, or along the x-axis as indicated by the blue line. Since the diagram above can be modeled with theContinue reading “RADIANT ENERGY: Wavenumber, Angular Frequency, and the Wave Nature of Light”
SOUND: Calculating the Speed of an Approaching Target
In a previous entry, the velocity of a sound-emitting source ( vs ) and a moving receptor of sound ( vr ) were related to the frequency of the sound emitted by the source ( fs ) and the frequency at which the receptor interpreted the emitted sound ( fr ) as follows: ( frContinue reading “SOUND: Calculating the Speed of an Approaching Target”
SOUND: The Doppler Effect
Sound is a quantification of the rate at which pressure waves pass through a “ springy “ gas medium such as air. A complete wave cycle is inclusive of regions of high and low pressure created by a vibrating source of sound. If we consider a circumstance in which a stationary source of sound isContinue reading “SOUND: The Doppler Effect”
SOUND: Beat Phenomena in Acoustics
Two major considerations will help us develop a clear understanding of an acoustic phenomena called ” sound beats “. First, consider that a longitudinal sound wave is a pressure wave moving through a ” springy ” medium. The Bulk Modulus and temperature of the medium influence the velocity of sound waves. Of interest here, however,Continue reading “SOUND: Beat Phenomena in Acoustics”
SOUND: Open and Closed-Pipe Systems, and the Concept of Resonance Frequency
Before examining the physics of standing waves within pipes that are closed at one end, a review of systems within which both ends are open is due. Periodic motion is used to model the behavior of systems that are harmonic or cyclical in nature. Within the midst of turbulent high-tide waves crashing against a shoreline,Continue reading “SOUND: Open and Closed-Pipe Systems, and the Concept of Resonance Frequency”
SOUND: Open-Pipe Systems
A standing pressure wave can be established by sound waves within a pipe with both ends open as well as pipes with one closed end. When a single-standing pressure wave exists within a pipe, the frequency ( f ) of the sound emitted is regarded as being the first or ” fundamental ” sound frequencyContinue reading “SOUND: Open-Pipe Systems”
RENAISSANCE PHYSICS 