Waves

Objectives of the programme
This tool is directed fundamentally to students and teachers of the last year of Secondary Education, as a complementary tool to the normal classes, practical classes and experiences as regards Wave Physics, with which the following, in a qualitative manner is intended:

• Understanding of the basic concepts of interference through the superposition of pulses.
• Analysis of some of the parameters that intervene in wave movement.
• To model two typical wave phenomena: interference and diffraction.
• To give a unique view of interference and diffraction independently of the nature of the wave movement.
• To complete the information on interference and diffraction of the experiences in the wave tank and the laser through graphics representing total perturbation and the square of the amplitude.
• To understand the concept of wave packet and its importance in the formulation of quantic mechanics.

Contemplated modellings
The modellings that are proposed for the different models are limited to the analysis of wave movement in one or two dimensions. From the start up screen  the following modules can be accessed:

• Pulses in one dimension
• Waves in one dimension
• Waves in two dimensions
• Fresnel diffraction by slits
• Fraunhofer diffraction by slits
• Packet of one dimension waves

From a physical point of view, it must be kept in mind that the objective of the programme is to facilitate the manipulation of the wave phenomena mentioned, on occasion to the detriment of precision. That is to say, this is a didactic tool and not a simulator.

Didactic tool (Language: English)
From the programme, and through the Help button you can access the explanation of the basic physical concepts handled in the programme y several modellings are proposed for each module, passing the numerical values directly into the programme. From the help it is also possible to view several AVI videos that represent the evolution over time of wave phenomena.

Requisites and characteristics of the programme
The programme works under Windows 95 or higher. It is contemplated in several languages, among which English is included.

Conditions of use programme
The programme is aimed at personal educational use.

Steps to download, install the programme and install the AVI videos
- Download the file ondas.zip [Waves] (see the following section), decompressing and keeping it in a folder of the hard disc.
- To execute the programme go to Start (in the task bar of the desktop), Programmes, Ondas.
- The AVI videos, which are not indispensable, are downloaded separately as zip files, decompressed and kept without name changes in the same folder in which the Ondas programme was installed, usually in c:\Programme files\Ondas.

Download programme
Click on ondas.zip (2 126 KB) (version Ondas 2.2)

Download AVI videos
They are not indispensable for the execution of the programme.
AVIs.zip (2 515 KB)

©2007 Pedro Rodríguez Porca