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DP IB Physics: HL

Revision Notes

Home / IB / Physics: HL / DP / Revision Notes / 4. Waves / 4.1 Oscillations / 4.1.1 Properties of Oscillations


4.1.1 Properties of Oscillations


Describing Oscillations

  • An oscillation is defined as follows:

The repetitive variation with time t of the displacement x of an object about the equilibrium position (x = 0)  

4-1-1-graphing-oscillations_sl-physics-rn

A pendulum oscillates between A and B. On a displacement-time graph, the oscillating motion of the pendulum is represented by a wave, with an amplitude equal to x0

  • Displacement (x) of a wave is the distance of a point on the wave from its equilibrium position
    • It is a vector quantity; it can be positive or negative and it is measured in metres (m)

  • Period (T) or time period, is the time interval for one complete repetition and it is measured in seconds (s)
    • If the oscillations have a constant period, they are said to be isochronous

Displacement time wave, downloadable AS & A Level Physics revision notes

Diagram showing the time period of a wave

  • Amplitude (x0) is the maximum value of the displacement on either side of the equilibrium position is known as the amplitude of the oscillation
    • Amplitude is measured in metres (m)
  • Wavelength (λ) is the length of one complete oscillation measured from the same point on two consecutive waves
    • Wavelength is measured in metres (m)

Amplitude and wavelength

  • Frequency (f) is the number of oscillations per second and it is measured in hertz (Hz)
    • Hz have the SI units of per second s−1
  • The frequency and the period of the oscillations are related by the following equation:

Frequency-period equation, downloadable AS & A Level Physics revision notes

Phase & Phase Difference

  • Phase is a useful way to think about waves
  • The phase of a wave can be considered in terms of:
    • Wavelength
    • Degrees
    • Radians
  • One complete oscillation is:
    • 1 wavelength
    • 360°
    • 2π radians

4-2-1-wavelength-and-amplitude_sl-physics-rn

Wavelength λ and amplitude A of a travelling wave

  • The phase difference between two waves is a measure of how much a point or a wave is in front or behind another
  • This can be found from the relative position of the crests or troughs of two different waves of the same frequency
    • When the crests of each wave, or the troughs of each wave are aligned, the waves are in phase
    • When the crest of one wave aligns with the trough of another, they are in antiphase

  • The diagram below shows the green wave leads the purple wave by ¼ λ

Phase difference, downloadable AS & A Level Physics revision notes

Two waves ¼ λ out of phase

  • In contrast, the purple wave is said to lag behind the green wave by ¼ λ
  • Phase difference is measured in fractions of a wavelength, degrees or radians
  • The phase difference can be calculated from two different points on the same wave or the same point on two different waves
  • The phase difference between two points can be described as:
    • In phase is 360o or 2π radians
    • In anti-phase is 180o or π radians

Worked Example

A child on a swing performs 0.2 oscillations per second.Calculate the period of the child's oscillations.

Step 1: Write down the frequency of the child's oscillations 

f = 0.2 Hz

Step 2: Write down the relationship between the period T and the frequency f

Step 3: Substitute the value of the frequency into the above equation and calculate the period 

straight T space equals space fraction numerator 1 over denominator 0.2 end fraction

T = 5 s

Worked Example

Plane waves on the surface of water at a particular instant are represented by the diagram below.WE - Wave properties question image, downloadable AS & A Level Physics revision notesThe waves have a frequency of 2.5 Hz.Determine:

a) The amplitude

b) The wavelength

c) The phase difference between points A and B

Worked example - wave properties (2), downloadable AS & A Level Physics revision notes

Exam Tip

When labelling the wavelength and time period on a diagram:

  • Make sure that your arrows go from the very top of a wave to the very top of the next one
  • If your arrow is too short, you will lose marks
  • The same goes for labelling amplitude, don’t draw an arrow from the bottom to the top of the wave, this will lose you marks too.



  • 1. Measurement & Uncertainties
    • 1.1 Measurements in Physics
      • 1.1.1 SI Units
        • 1.1.2 Using Scientific Notation
          • 1.1.3 Estimating Physical Quantities
          • 1.2 Uncertainties & Errors
            • 1.2.1 Random & Systematic Errors
              • 1.2.2 Calculating Uncertainties
                • 1.2.3 Determining Uncertainties from Graphs
                • 1.3 Vectors & Scalars
                  • 1.3.1 Vector & Scalar Quantities
                    • 1.3.2 Combining & Resolving Vectors
                      • 1.3.3 Solving Vector Problems
                    • 2. Mechanics
                      • 2.1 Motion
                        • 2.1.1 Distance & Displacement
                          • 2.1.2 Speed & Velocity
                            • 2.1.3 Acceleration
                              • 2.1.4 Graphs Describing Motion
                                • 2.1.5 Uniform Acceleration
                                  • 2.1.6 Acceleration of Free Fall Experiment
                                    • 2.1.7 Projectile Motion
                                      • 2.1.8 Terminal Speed
                                      • 2.2 Forces
                                        • 2.2.1 Free-Body Diagrams
                                          • 2.2.2 Newton’s First Law
                                            • 2.2.3 Newton’s Second Law
                                              • 2.2.4 Newton’s Third Law
                                                • 2.2.5 Applying Newton’s Laws of Motion
                                                  • 2.2.6 Friction
                                                  • 2.3 Work, Energy & Power
                                                    • 2.3.1 Kinetic Energy
                                                      • 2.3.2 Gravitational Potential Energy
                                                        • 2.3.3 Elastic Potential Energy
                                                          • 2.3.4 Work Done
                                                            • 2.3.5 Power
                                                              • 2.3.6 Principle of Conservation of Energy
                                                                • 2.3.7 Efficiency
                                                                • 2.4 Momentum & Impulse
                                                                  • 2.4.1 Force & Momentum
                                                                    • 2.4.2 Impulse
                                                                      • 2.4.3 Conservation of Linear Momentum
                                                                        • 2.4.4 Collisions & Explosions
                                                                      • 3. Thermal Physics
                                                                        • 3.1 Thermal Concepts
                                                                          • 3.1.1 Solids, Liquids & Gases
                                                                            • 3.1.2 Temperature
                                                                              • 3.1.3 Internal Energy
                                                                                • 3.1.4 Specific Heat Capacity
                                                                                  • 3.1.5 Specific Latent Heat
                                                                                    • 3.1.6 Phase Change
                                                                                      • 3.1.7 Investigating Thermal Energy
                                                                                      • 3.2 Modelling a Gas
                                                                                        • 3.2.1 Ideal Gas Laws
                                                                                          • 3.2.2 Ideal Gas Equation
                                                                                            • 3.2.3 Kinetic Model of an Ideal Gas
                                                                                              • 3.2.4 Mole Calculations
                                                                                                • 3.2.5 Investigating Gas Laws
                                                                                              • 4. Waves
                                                                                                • 4.1 Oscillations
                                                                                                  • 4.1.1 Properties of Oscillations
                                                                                                    • 4.1.2 Simple Harmonic Oscillations
                                                                                                      • 4.1.3 SHM Graphs
                                                                                                        • 4.1.4 Energy in SHM
                                                                                                        • 4.2 Travelling Waves
                                                                                                          • 4.2.1 Properties of Waves
                                                                                                            • 4.2.2 Transverse & Longitudinal Waves
                                                                                                              • 4.2.3 Electromagnetic Waves
                                                                                                                • 4.2.4 Sound Waves
                                                                                                                • 4.3 Wave Characteristics
                                                                                                                  • 4.3.1 Wavefronts
                                                                                                                    • 4.3.2 Amplitude & Intensity
                                                                                                                      • 4.3.3 Superposition
                                                                                                                        • 4.3.4 Polarisation
                                                                                                                          • 4.3.5 Malus’s Law
                                                                                                                          • 4.4 Wave Behaviour
                                                                                                                            • 4.4.1 Reflection, Refraction & Transmission
                                                                                                                              • 4.4.2 Reflection
                                                                                                                                • 4.4.3 Refraction
                                                                                                                                  • 4.4.4 Determining Refractive Index
                                                                                                                                    • 4.4.5 Single-Slit Diffraction
                                                                                                                                      • 4.4.6 Interference & Path Difference
                                                                                                                                        • 4.4.7 Double-Slit Equation
                                                                                                                                        • 4.5 Standing Waves
                                                                                                                                          • 4.5.1 The Nature of Standing Waves
                                                                                                                                            • 4.5.2 Nodes & Antinodes
                                                                                                                                              • 4.5.3 Boundary Conditions for Standing Waves
                                                                                                                                                • 4.5.4 Harmonics
                                                                                                                                              • 5. Electricity & Magnetism
                                                                                                                                                • 5.1 Electric Fields
                                                                                                                                                  • 5.1.1 Charge & Current
                                                                                                                                                    • 5.1.2 Drift Speed
                                                                                                                                                      • 5.1.3 Potential Difference & DC
                                                                                                                                                        • 5.1.4 Electric Fields
                                                                                                                                                          • 5.1.5 Coulomb’s Law
                                                                                                                                                          • 5.2 Heating Effect of Electric Currents
                                                                                                                                                            • 5.2.1 Circuits
                                                                                                                                                              • 5.2.2 Resistance & Resistors
                                                                                                                                                                • 5.2.3 Kirchhoff’s Circuit Laws
                                                                                                                                                                  • 5.2.4 I-V Characteristics
                                                                                                                                                                    • 5.2.5 Resistivity
                                                                                                                                                                      • 5.2.6 Investigating Resistivity
                                                                                                                                                                        • 5.2.7 Series & Parallel Circuits
                                                                                                                                                                          • 5.2.8 Heating Effect of Current
                                                                                                                                                                            • 5.2.9 Potential Divider Circuits
                                                                                                                                                                            • 5.3 Electric Cells
                                                                                                                                                                              • 5.3.1 Primary & Secondary Cells
                                                                                                                                                                                • 5.3.2 Investigating Electric Cells
                                                                                                                                                                                  • 5.3.3 Terminal Potential Difference
                                                                                                                                                                                    • 5.3.4 Electromotive Force & Internal Resistance
                                                                                                                                                                                    • 5.4 Magnetic Effects of Electric Currents
                                                                                                                                                                                      • 5.4.1 Magnetic Fields
                                                                                                                                                                                        • 5.4.2 Magnetic Force on a Charge
                                                                                                                                                                                          • 5.4.3 Magnetic Force on a Current-Carrying Conductor
                                                                                                                                                                                            • 5.4.4 Solving Problems Involving Magnetic Forces
                                                                                                                                                                                          • 6. Circular Motion & Gravitation
                                                                                                                                                                                            • 6.1 Circular Motion
                                                                                                                                                                                              • 6.1.1 Circular Motion
                                                                                                                                                                                                • 6.1.2 Centripetal Force
                                                                                                                                                                                                  • 6.1.3 Centripetal Acceleration
                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 6.1.4 Applications of Circular Motion
                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 6.2 Newton’s Law of Gravitation
                                                                                                                                                                                                      • 6.2.1 Newton’s Law of Gravitation
                                                                                                                                                                                                        • 6.2.2 Circular Orbits
                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 6.2.3 Gravitational Field Strength
                                                                                                                                                                                                        • 7. Atomic, Nuclear & Particle Physics
                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 7.1 Discrete Energy & Radioactivity
                                                                                                                                                                                                            • 7.1.1 Discrete Energy Levels
                                                                                                                                                                                                              • 7.1.2 Calculating Discrete Energies
                                                                                                                                                                                                                • 7.1.3 Emission & Absorption Spectrum
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • 7.1.4 Isotopes & Radioactive Decay
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 7.1.5 Background Radiation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • 7.1.6 Alpha, Beta & Gamma Particles
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • 7.1.7 Decay Equations
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 7.1.8 Half-Life
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • 7.1.9 Investigating Half-Life
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • 7.2 Nuclear Reactions
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • 7.2.1 Atomic Mass Unit
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • 7.2.2 Mass Defect & Nuclear Binding Energy
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • 7.2.3 Nuclear Fission & Fusion
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 7.2.4 Binding Energy per Nucleon Curve
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 7.3 The Structure of Matter
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • 7.3.1 Discovery of the Nucleus
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • 7.3.2 Quarks & Leptons
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 7.3.3 Hadrons, Baryons & Mesons
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • 7.3.4 Particle Conservation Laws
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • 7.3.5 Fundamental Forces
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • 7.3.6 Feynman Diagrams & Confinement
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • 7.3.7 The Standard Model of Particle Physics
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • 8. Energy Production
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • 8.1 Energy Sources
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 8.1.1 Specific Energy
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • 8.1.2 Sankey Diagrams
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • 8.1.3 Primary & Secondary Energy Sources
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 8.1.4 Energy Resources
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • 8.1.5 Energy Generation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • 8.1.6 Safety Issues in Nuclear Power
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • 8.2 Thermal Energy Transfer
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • 8.2.1 Conduction, Convection & Thermal Radiation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • 8.2.2 Black-Body Radiation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 8.2.3 The Solar Constant, Albedo & Emissivity
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • 8.2.4 The Greenhouse Effect
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • 8.2.5 Earth's Surface–Atmosphere System
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • 9. Wave Phenomena (HL only)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • 9.1 Simple Harmonic Motion
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 9.1.1 The Defining Equation of SHM
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • 9.1.2 Energy Changes in SHM
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • 9.1.3 Calculating Energy Changes in SHM
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • 9.1.4 Examples of SHM
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • 9.2 Single-Slit Diffraction
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • 9.2.1 The Nature of Single-Slit Diffraction
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 9.2.2 Intensity of Interference Maxima & Minima
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 9.3 Interference
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • 9.3.1 Young’s Double-Slit Experiment
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • 9.3.2 Two-Slit Interference Patterns
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 9.3.3 Diffraction Grating Patterns
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • 9.3.4 The Diffraction Grating Equation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • 9.3.5 Thin Film Interference
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • 9.4 Resolution
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • 9.4.1 The Rayleigh Criterion
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • 9.4.2 Rayleigh Criterion Calculations
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 9.4.3 Resolvance of Diffraction Gratings
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 9.5 Doppler Effect
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • 9.5.1 The Doppler Effect
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • 9.5.2 Uses of The Doppler Effect
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 9.5.3 The Doppler Equation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • 10. Fields (HL only)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 10.1 Describing Fields
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • 10.1.1 Gravitational & Electrostatic Fields
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • 10.1.2 Gravitational & Electrostatic Field Lines
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • 10.1.3 Gravitational & Electrostatic Potential
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • 10.1.4 Equipotential Surfaces
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • 10.2 Fields at Work
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 10.2.1 Potential & Potential Energy
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • 10.2.2 Potential Energy Calculations
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • 10.2.3 Potential Gradient & Difference
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 10.2.4 Potential in a Charged Sphere
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • 10.2.5 Escape Speed
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • 10.2.6 Orbital Motion, Speed & Energy
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • 10.2.7 Forces & Inverse-Square Law Behaviour
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • 10.2.8 Forces on Charges & Masses
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • 11. Electromagnetic Induction (HL only)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • 11.1 Electromagnetic Induction
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 11.1.1 Emf, Magnetic Flux & Magnetic Flux Linkage
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • 11.1.2 Induced Emf
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • 11.1.3 Faraday’s Law
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 11.1.4 Lenz’s Law
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 11.2 Power Generation & Transmission
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • 11.2.1 AC Generators
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • 11.2.2 Root-Mean-Square Current & Voltage
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • 11.2.3 Step-Up & Step-Down Transformers
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • 11.2.4 Transformer Calculations
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 11.2.5 AC Electrical Power Distribution
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • 11.2.6 Diode Bridges
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • 11.2.7 Investigating Diode Bridges
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 11.2.8 Rectification
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • 11.2.9 Capacitors & Diode Bridges
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • 11.3 Capacitance
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • 11.3.1 Capacitance
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • 11.3.2 Dielectric Materials
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • 11.3.3 Capacitors in Series & Parallel
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 11.3.4 The Time Constant
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • 11.3.5 Energy Stored in a Capacitor
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • 11.3.6 Capacitor Charge & Discharge
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 11.3.7 Discharge Calculations
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • 12. Quantum & Nuclear Physics (HL only)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 12.1 The Interaction of Matter with Radiation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • 12.1.1 Photons
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • 12.1.2 The Photoelectric Effect
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • 12.1.3 Observing the Photoelectric Effect
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • 12.1.4 Solving Photoelectric Problems
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 12.1.5 Matter Waves
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • 12.1.6 Pair Production & Annihilation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • 12.1.7 Quantization of Angular Momentum
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 12.1.8 The Wave Function
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • 12.1.9 The Uncertainty Principle
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • 12.1.10 Tunnelling
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              • 12.2 Nuclear Physics
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                • 12.2.1 Rutherford Scattering & Nuclear Radius
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • 12.2.2 Nuclear Scattering
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    • 12.2.3 Deviations from Rutherford Scattering
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      • 12.2.4 Nuclear Energy Levels
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        • 12.2.5 The Neutrino
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          • 12.2.6 The Law of Radioactive Decay
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            • 12.2.7 Measuring Half-Life
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Ashika Vijay

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Author: Ashika

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Ashika graduated with a first-class Physics degree from Manchester University and, having worked as a software engineer, focused on Physics education, creating engaging content to help students across all levels. Now an experienced GCSE and A Level Physics and Maths tutor, Ashika helps to grow and improve our Physics resources.


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