Ideal as a classroom text or for individual study, this unique one-volume overview of classical wave theory covers wave phenomena of acoustics, optics, electromagnetic radiations, and more. Topics include fundamentals, Bessel functions, waveguides, elasticity theory, hydrodynamic waves, and special phenomenon of wave diffraction. With problems.

Table of Contents for Physics of Waves

Preface
1 Transverse Waves on a String
1.1 The wave equation for an ideal stretched string
1.2 A general solution of the one-dimensional wave equation
1.3 Harmonic or sinusoidal waves
1.4 Standing sinusoidal waves
1.5 Solving the wave equation by the method of separation of variables
1.6 The general motion of a finite string segment
1.7 Fourier series
1.8 Energy carried by waves on a string
1.9 The reflection and transmission of waves at a discontinuity
*1.10 Another derivation of the wave equation for strings
*1.11 Momentum carried by a wave
2 Waves on a Membrane
2.1 The wave equation for a stretched membrane
2.2 Standing waves on a rectangular membrane
2.3 Standing waves on a circular membrane
2.4 Interference phenomena with plane traveling waves
3 Introduction to the Theory of Elasticity
3.1 The elongation of a rod
3.2 Volume changes in an elastic medium
3.3 Shear distortion in a plane
3.4 The torsion of round tubes and rods
3.5 The statics of a simple beam
3.6 The bending of a simple beam
3.7 Helical springs
4 One-dimensional Elastic Waves
4.1 Longitudinal waves on a slender rod
(a) The wave equation
(b) Standing waves
(c) Energy and power
(d) Momentum transport
4.2 The impedance concept
4.3 Rods with varying cross-sectional area
4.4 The effect of small perturbations on normal-mode frequencies
4.5 Torsional waves on a round rod
4.6 Transverse waves on a slender rod
(a) The wave equation
(b) Solution of the wave equation
(c) Traveling waves
(d) Normal-mode vibrations
4.7 Phase and group velocity
4.8 Waves on a helical spring
*4.9 Perturbation calculations
5 Acoustic Waves in Fluids
5.1 The wave equation for fluids
*5.2 The velocity of sound in gases
5.3 Plane acoustic waves
(a) Traveling sinusoidal waves
(b) Standing waves of sound
5.4 The cavity (Helmholtz) resonator
5.5 Spherical acoustic waves
5.6 Reflection and refraction at a plane interface
5.7 Standing waves in a rectangular box
5.8 The Doppler effect
*5.9 The velocity potential
*5.10 Shock Waves
*6 Waves on a Liquid Surface
6.1 Basic hydrodynamics
(a) Kinematical equations
(b) The equation of continuity
(c) The Bernoulli equation
6.2 Gravity waves
6.3 Effect of surface te
6.4 Tidal waves and the tides
(a) Tidal waves
(b) Tide-generating forces
(c) Equilibrium theory of tides
(d) The dynamical theory of tides
6.5 Energy and power relations
*7 Elastic Waves in Solids
7.1 Tensors and dyadics
7.2 Strain as a dyadic
7.3 Stress as a dyadic
7.4 Hooke's law
7.5 Waves in an isotropic medium
(a) Irrotational waves
(b) Solenoidal waves
7.6 Energy relations
*7.7 Momentum transport by a shear wave
*8 Electromagnetic Waves
8.1 Two-conductor transmission line
(a) Circuit equations
(b) Wave equation
(c) Characteristic impedance
(d) Reflection from terminal impedance
(e) Impedance measurement
8.2 Maxwell's equations
8.3 Plane waves
8.4 Electromagnetic energy and momentum
8.5 Waves in a conducting medium
8.6 Reflection and refraction at a plane interface
(a) Boundary conditions
(b) Normal incidence on a conductor
(c) Oblique incidence on a nonconductor
8.7 Waveguides
(a) The vector wave equation
(b) General solution for waveguides
(c) Rectangular cross section
*(d) Circular cross section
8.8 Propagation in ionized gases
8.9 Spherical waves
9 Wave Propagation in Inhomogeneous and Obstructed Media
9.1 The WKB approximation
9.2 Geometrical optics
9.3 The Huygens-Fresnel principle
9.4 Kirchhoff diffraction theory
(a) Green's theorem
(b) The Helmholtz-Kirchhoff theorem
(c) Kirchoff boundary conditions
9.5 Diffraction of transverse waves
*9.6 Young's formulation of diffraction
10 Fraunhofer Diffraction
10.1 The paraxial approximation
10.2 The Fraunhofer limit
10.3 The rectangular aperture
10.4 The single slit
10.5 The circular aperture
10.6 The double slit
10.7 Multiple slits
*10.8 Practical diffraction gratings for spectral analysis
(a) Gratings of arbitrary periodic structure
(b) The grating equation
(c) Dispersion
(d) Resolving power
*10.9 Two-dimensional gratings
*10.10 Three-dimensional gratings
11 Fresnel Diffraction
11.1 Fresnel zones
(a) Circular zones
(b) Off-axis diffraction
(c) Linear zones
11.2 The rectangular ape
(a) Geometry and notation
(b) The Cornu spiral
11.3 The linear slit
11.4 The straight edge
12 Spectrum Analysis of Waveforms
12.1 Nonsinusoidal periodic waves
12.2 Nonrecurrent waves
12.3 Amplitude-modulated waves
12.4 Phase-modulated waves
12.5 The motion of a wave packet in a dispersive medium
12.6 The Fourier transform method
12.7 Properties of transfer functions
12.8 Partial coherence in a wavefield
Appendixes
A. Vector calculus
B. The Smith calculator
C. Proof of the uncertainty relation
Index

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