UNIT OVERVIEW

Before we can understand ocean waves or sound waves, we need to start with something simpler: the pulse.

Have you ever flicked one end of a rope and watched a "bump" travel along it? That bump is called a pulse. Understanding how it moves and behaves is the first step to understanding all wave phenomena.

By the end of this unit, you will be able to:

• Define a pulse and identify its amplitude
• Describe how transverse pulses move along strings and springs
• Explain how particle motion differs from pulse motion
• Understand what happens when two pulses meet
• Apply the principle of superposition to predict resultant pulses
• Distinguish between constructive and destructive interference
• Solve problems involving pulse amplitude and superposition

Where you'll see this in real life:

• Stadium Mexican waves — People move up and down, but the wave travels around the stadium
• Guitar strings — Plucking creates pulses that produce musical notes
• Earthquake detection — Scientists track how pulses travel through the Earth
• Medical ultrasound — Pulses of sound create images inside the body

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