Waves, the Atom

and Optics
Carlos Silva
October 14th 2009
WAVES
Vibrations

Definition F  kx
Mechanical oscillation around an equilibrium point
• Mass-spring system oscillation
• Beam
• Drum

Types of vibration
Free
• When we apply a force and then let the system vibrate with its natural frequency
Forced
• When we apply an alternated force (earthquake)

Systems vibrate due to the “Momentum Conservation” law

Period, Frequency and Amplitude

Period (s)
Interval of time measured in seconds that takes to repeat the vibration (T)

1
Frequency (Hz=s-1) f 
Number of events/repetitions per second (f) T

Wave length (m)

V
Distance between repeating units 
f
Amplitude
Maximum variation during vibration (displacement, angle)

Vibrations are usually sinusoidal

This happens when the applied force is linear
This only happens for “small” amplitudes
This is called harmonic motion
Natural Frequency and Resonance

Natural frequency k
Property of every system fn 
m
Multiple modes of vibration (harmonics)
Multiples of the natural frequency

Resonance
Tendency to oscillate at maximum amplitude at natural Vibration modes Damping
frequency
A force applied at the same frequency is providing
energy to the system at a rate that is higher than the
damping
Damping
Mechanism of energy dissipation of vibration

Takoma bridge: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mclp9QmCGs

Waves

Definition
Type of disturbance that propagates through time and space
Wave is a thing that transports energy and its not matter (doesn't obey Newton's laws)

They differ from matter in three ways:

• Superposition – two waves can be at the same place at the same time
• They transport energy, not the medium (the medium vibrates!)
• Wave velocity depends on the medium of propagation (does not depend on the
force – put energy into a wave “only” affects its amplitude)
Types of wave
Sound
Light
Water
Reflection, Transmission, Refraction and Absorption

Reflection
Change of a wave direction at an interface between two different media so that the
wave returns into the media where it was originated

Transmission
Wave changes the propagation mean

Refraction
Change of a wave velocity (and direction) when it changes media

Absorption
Change of the wave amplitude by the dissipation of its energy
Waves: Energy, wavelength, frequency
Light as matter, matter as wave

Wave-particle duality
concept that all matter and energy
exhibits both wave-like and
particle-like properties

• Corpuscles are light matter

• Nuclear particles that behaves like wave
THE ATOM
Atoms

Definition
Smallest unit of an element that retains its chemical
properties
Greek átomos that stands for indivisible

Nucleus
Protons (+)
Neutrons
Electrons cloud
Electrons(-) Bohr hydrogen (H) model
Special orbits
They gain or loose energy while jumping from orbits

Number of protons= number of electrons

Oxygen (O) atom

Molecule
Molecule
Stable and electrical neutral combination of atoms

Water
90% of the matter in Earth is H2O water (H2O)

Carbon
Abundant
Affinity to link to smaller atoms
propane(C3H8)
Hydrocarbon
Compound of Hydrogen and Carbon
Energy sources

Carbon Dioxide (CO2 )

Carbon Dioxide(CO2)
Isotopes

Isotopes are different types of atoms of the same chemical element, each
having a different number of neutrons

Deuterium
• Hydron atom + 1 neutron

Tritium
• Hydron atom + 2 neutron
Ions

Atom or molecule where the total number of electrons is not equal to the total
number of protons
Anion
• More electrons than protons
Cation
• Less electrons than protons
Quantum physics

Heisenberg Principle
locating a particle in a small region
of space makes the momentum of
the particle uncertain; and
conversely, that measuring the
momentum of a particle precisely
makes the position uncertain.

Quantum mechanics
Quantum hydrogen model
Explain motion of nuclear particles
(Classical mechanics fail)
Matter as wave
Periodic table
Nuclear Plants

Use nuclear energy to produce

electricity using stem cycle
Like thermal plants using coal, oil, gas
Calder Hall Waste Flacks Yucca Mountain
4 generations of reactors UK (1954) Nevada, US
III – Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (GE)
IV - Very High Temperature Reactor

Generation IV
Fission

Definition
splitting of the nucleus of an atom into parts
forming neutrons and photons (gamma ray)

Radiation
Atoms Loss of energy
Alpha, beta or gamma radiation Uranium reaction
Fusion

Definition
multiple- like charged atomic nuclei join together to
form a heavier nucleus
Proton-proton chain reaction
Converts hydrogen into helium
Takes 109 years to occur at start’s core temperature

Nuclear Power with fusion

In 1997, JET produced 10MW for 0.5s
ITER in 2018 will produce 500MW for 1000s

Nuclear Energy (SI)

Electro-Volt: 1 eV = 1.602 176 53(14)×10−19 J

JET tokamac Deuterium-tritium reaction

Hydrogen Fuel

Natural state (H2)

75% of matter (mass) or 90% of mater in
terms of number of atoms

Energy carrier
Production
Water Electrolysis: separate molecules Water electrolysis
through electricity (30%-40% efficiency)
Storage
Compressed or liquid
Fuel
Fuel Cells Filling station
Adapted gasoline motor (Germany)

Hydrogen cell

Toyota FCHV
OPTICS
The nature of light

Light characteristics:
Electromagnetic radiation
Light travels from one point to another
It travels in vacuum (unlike sound, which is an air pressure)
Light transports energy
When we absorb light, it is transformed in heat

Visible Light Light refraction

Radiation whose wavelength is 380-750x10-9m (prisma)

Light refraction
(water)
Reflection, refraction

Reflection
Incidence angle=reflection angle

Reflection Mirror
Refraction
Changes speed and angle of light

Diffraction
Light propagation over small open
obstacles and openings

Refraction
Lens
Thermal solar panels

Flat plate
Evacuated tube

Heating through reflection

Installation diagram Solar power plant
Almeria, Spain
Photovoltaic panels

PN junction

Photovoltaic panel (PV)

Equivalent circuit