Waves III

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Description

Waves impact on every facet of our experience. The simple acts of seeing and hearing rely on electromagnetic and sound waves. Traffic flows in waves. Earthquakes and tsunamis are waves capable of causing enormous devastation. Waves carry the information required for our technological society to function. This course will introduce you to the study of waves through a wide variety of examples of wave motions.

Objective

Content

Topics covered are: waves on stretched strings and membranes, sound waves, water waves, electromagnetic waves, waves in elastic media, traffic waves and solitary waves. The course will emphasise the mathematical features common to many of these phenomena, such as the transmission and reflection of waves at interfaces, cut-off frequencies, dispersion and group velocity, internal reflection and evanescent waves, shock waves and solitons.

Luke Bennetts Lecturer for this course

Delivery

36 hours of lectures and tutorials

Assessment

Ongoing assessment 30%, exam 70%.

Graduate attributes

• Applying mathematical knowledge (1)
• Interpreting data and drawing conclusions (2)
• Formulating mathematical problems (3)
• Problem solving skills (4)
• Flexibility in working environment (5)
• Communication skills (6)

Linkage past

You should have successfully completed MATHS 1007A/B Mathematics I (Pass Div I) or equivalent. Familiarity with vector calculus and solution methods for partial differential equations, such as provided by Multivariable and Complex Calculus MATHS 2101 and Differential Equations MATHS 2102 is essential.

Linkage present

The background modelling for the water waves material is covered in detail in APP MATH 3002 Fluid Mechanics III, though it is not necessary to take this course.

Linkage future

This course is not recorded as prequisite for other courses.

Restrictions

None.

Recommended text

Wave Motion, J. Billingham and A. C. King(Barr Smith Library 530.124 B598w)