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California Institute of Technology

Vibrations and Waves

California Institute of Technology via YouTube

Overview

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This course on Vibrations and Waves aims to teach students about the principles and applications of vibrations and waves. By the end of the course, students will be able to understand simple harmonic motion, damped and driven harmonic oscillators, coupled oscillators, traveling waves, standing waves, interference of waves, diffraction, and dispersion. The course covers topics such as energy and power dissipation, Fourier analysis, polarization, Huygen’s principle, and the bandwidth theorem. The teaching method includes lectures and recitations to provide theoretical knowledge and practical applications. This course is intended for students interested in physics, engineering, or related fields who want to deepen their understanding of vibrations and waves.

Syllabus

Ph2a Promo: Vibrations and Waves.
Lecture 1 - Simple Harmonic Motion.
Recitation 1 - Why Vibrations and Waves Matter.
Lecture 2 - The Pendulum and the LC Circuit.
Recitation 2 - Simple Harmonic Motion in Action.
Lecture 3 - Damped and Driven Harmonic Oscillator.
Recitation 3 - Damped Harmonic Motion - I.
Lecture 4 - Three Cases of Damped Motion.
Recitation 4 - Damped Harmonic Motion - II.
Lecture 5 - Steady State Motion of a Forced Damped Harmonic Oscillator.
Recitation 5 - Forced Harmonic Motion.
Lecture 6 - Energy and Power Dissipation; Coupled Oscillators.
Recitation 6 - Forced Harmonic Motion in Action.
Lecture 7 - Solving the Coupled Oscillator Equation.
Recitation 7 - Coupled Oscillators.
Lecture 8 - Forced Coupled Oscillation; Traveling Waves.
Recitation 8 - Coupled Oscillations in Action.
Lecture 9 - "The" Wave Equation and a Vibrating String.
Recitation 9 - The Phenomenon of Wave Propagation.
Lecture 10 - Where Things Begin and End Boundary Conditions and Discontinuities.
Recitation 10 - Continuum Normal Modes and Standing Waves.
Lecture 11 - Standing Waves.
Recitation 11 - Fourier Analysis in Action.
Lecture 12 - Fourier Analysis and then More Dimensions.
Recitation 12 - Standing Waves and Boundary Conditions in Two Dimensions.
Lecture 13 - Standing Waves Demonstrated and Analysis of the Circular Drumhead.
Recitation 13 - Interference and Sound Channels.
Lecture 14 - Interference of Waves and Electromagnetic Waves.
Recitation 14 - Interference in Action.
Lecture 15 - Polarization; Huygen’s Principle; Diffraction.
Recitation 15 - Polarization.
Lecture 16 - Double Slits and Circular Apertures.
Recitation - 16 - Introduction to Dispersion of Waves.
Lecture 17 - Fresnel Diffraction, then on to Dispersion.
Recitation 17 - Thanksgiving: A Glimpse into the Heart of Physics.
Lecture 18 - Dispersion Demonstrated.
Recitation 18 - Final Review.
Lecture 19 - The Bandwidth Theorem.

Taught by

caltech

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