Oscillations and Waves

Catalog description

Oscillations can occur in the motion of particles, solid objects, full mechanisms, but also in the strength of fields such as pressure and electromagnetic fields. Their various manifestations have been adopted in many technological applications such as high precision time keeping, sensing devices and signal generators. The first part of the course investigates oscillatory phenomena in several contexts that are relevant to today's technology. Waves refer to propagations of oscillatory dynamics in a medium or field. Wave phenomena are the backbones of all our communication technologies and virtually every electronic device requires the science of waves. The second part of the course investigates the propagation of an oscillation produced by a localized source in an extended medium or field. Then the course will cover the principles of wave propagation and the wave equations which govern the wave science. Phenomena such as interference, diffraction, wave channeling and wave focusing will be also covered. At the end of the course, a student will understand how to source specific waves for a variety of applications, how to analyze the wave propagation in specific conditions and how to detect traveling waves. The student will also be equipped with knowledge on how to apply various techniques to manipulate and control wave phenomena. Prerequisite(s): PHYS 1052 .