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GO
FIGURE!
Doing
The Wave
Demonstrate
the movement of a beam of light by making the following types
of waves:
Vertical
transverse wave
Tie
a thin cord or rope to a doorknob or stretch it between two
people. Move the rope in a steady up and down pattern. Observe
the waves.
Horizontal
transverse wave
Now
move the rope in a left-to-right motion.
Diagonal
transverse wave
This
time, move the rope diagonally, reaching your hand approximately
from the height of your right shoulder to the height of your
left hip.
With
each type of wave, observe the following:
Wavelength
— the distance from the top of one wave to the top of the
next.
Amplitude
— the height of each wave crest (the top of the wave) or
the depth of each wave trough (the bottom of the wave).
Frequency
— the number of wave crests passing a point in one second.
What
can you do to change the wavelength, amplitude, or frequency of
your waves?
Light
travels in a combination of horizontal, vertical, and diagonal
waves, each vibrating in a different plane. By separating out
one set of waves, you can polarize the light. To simulate polarized
light, pass a thin cord or rope through a slit on the back of
a slatted chair. Observe what happens when you try to produce
a horizontal wave!
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