What is the SI unit of wave speed?
What is the SI unit of wave speed?
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1 Answer
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The SI unit of wave speed is metres per second (m/s).
This unit tells us the distance a wave travels in one second.
Since wave speed (v) is calculated using the formula:
(where f is frequency in hertz (Hz) and lambda is wavelength in metres),
multiplying Hz (1/s) by metres (m) gives the result in m/s.
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The speed of a wave depends on the properties of the medium through which it travels. The key factors include
- Type of medium (solid, liquid, or gas)
- Density and elasticity of the medium
- Temperature (especially for sound waves in gases)
- Wavelength and frequency of the wave
The speed of a travelling wave changes due to the medium it travels through.
For sound waves, speed is influenced by the density and elasticity (bulk modulus) of the material.
The formula is: v = Square root of (B/p)
Where:
v = wave speed
B = bulk modulus (stiffness)
p = density of the medium
Sound always travels faster in water than in air. Sound waves travel even faster in solids like steel than water. We can know this because we have learned that the particles in solids and liquids are more closely packed. Because of that, the wave can transmit more energy.
The fastest any wave can travel is the speed of light in a vacuum. It is known that this speed is approximately 3 * 10 (to the power 8) metres per second (m/s). In physics, this speed is considered the upper limit for the speed of all electromagnetic waves. Common examples of it include light, radio waves, X-rays, and gamma rays. You should know that no wave in classical physics exceeds this speed. As Class 11 students, you know that the medium is always important to consider when calculating wave speed, it is not surprising to know that when electromagnetic waves pass through a medium, such as glass or water, their speed decreases due
To know how fast a wave travels, it is important to know through which medium it pass through. The wave velocity or the speed at which a wave travels shows how quickly the energy moves through a specific medium. It could be air, water, or steel. We calculate waves speed in physics using the formula:
Wave speed = Frequency * Wavelength,
That is,
This tells us that the speed depends on how often the wave oscillates. It also shows us the distance between its crests or troughs. The speed of a wave is medium-dependent because of particle density and elasticity of the medium. For instance, the speed of sound waves is faster than in solids like
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