Explain how the motion of the particles in the rope producing transverse wave refers from the motion of the pulse itself
When a transverse wave is traveling along a rope, it is important to understand the difference between the motion of the individual particles (or oscillators) in the rope and the motion of the pulse itself.
1. Motion of the particles: The particles in the rope move perpendicular to the direction of the wave's propagation. As the wave passes through each particle, it causes them to oscillate (vibrate) up and down or side-to-side. This oscillation of particles is called simple harmonic motion.
2. Motion of the pulse: The pulse refers to the disturbance traveling through the rope. It is created by the initial displacement of a particle or by an external force. The pulse itself moves along the rope in a straight line, transferring energy from one particle to the next without any net movement of the particles themselves.
To understand this better, imagine a rope lying on a horizontal surface with one end held fixed. If you give the free end of the rope a sharp upward flick, a transverse pulse will be created. As the pulse moves along the rope, the particles in the rope will start oscillating up and down. However, it's important to note that individual particles do not move along with the pulse itself.
The motion of the particles can be thought of as similar to the movement of people doing "the wave" in a sports stadium. Each person stands up and sits down, but the wave itself travels around the stadium without any individual person actually moving from their seat.
In summary, while the particles in the rope undergo simple harmonic motion (oscillate) perpendicular to the direction of the wave's propagation, the pulse itself moves along the rope without any net movement of the particles.