6.1 - Waves with Dispersion
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Practice Questions
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What is dispersion in waves?
💡 Hint: Think about how waves change shape.
Define wave packet.
💡 Hint: Consider how waves can combine.
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Interactive Quizzes
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What is the main characteristic of dispersion?
💡 Hint: Think about how different colors of light travel through glass.
True or False: Group velocity always equals phase velocity.
💡 Hint: Consider how the envelope of the wave moves compared to the crest.
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Challenge Problems
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A wave travels through two different media, resulting in a dispersive effect where long wavelengths travel faster than short ones. Explain how this impacts the overall wave shape as time progresses.
💡 Hint: Think about how overlapping waves with varying speeds would behave.
If the phase velocity of a wave in a dispersive medium is given by the equation v_p = c/n, where 'c' is the speed of light and 'n' is the index of refraction, derive the expression for the group velocity.
💡 Hint: Use calculus concepts to approach the derivatives involved.
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