Waves & vibrations
Undergraduate · Physics
Syllabus focus
Topics typically covered
Standard syllabus
Oscillations
- Damped and driven harmonic oscillators
- Resonance, quality factor, and bandwidth
- Coupled oscillators and beating
- Fourier series for periodic forcing
- Physical pendulums and torsional systems
Continuous waves
- Wave equation on strings and membranes
- Boundary conditions and standing waves
- Dispersion relations and group velocity
- Sound waves in fluids and solids
- Doppler effect and shock waves (intro)
Advanced wave phenomena
- Impedance and reflection at interfaces
- Wave packets and uncertainty relations
- Nonlinear waves and solitons (overview)
- Seismic waves and Earth structure
- Vibrations of bars and plates
STEM / applied
Acoustics and audio
- Room acoustics and reverberation time
- Musical instrument mode analysis
- Noise control and vibration isolation
- Ultrasound imaging and sonar
- Hearing and psychoacoustics basics
Structural and mechanical
- Modal analysis in civil engineering
- Rotating machinery imbalance
- MEMS resonators and sensors
- Bridge flutter and aerodynamic forcing
- Finite-element preview for mode shapes
Measurement techniques
- Accelerometers and spectrum analyzers
- Chladni patterns and experimental modes
- Time–frequency analysis of signals
- Calibration of speakers and microphones
- Reporting damping from ring-down data
Study units
Each unit includes a study guide, worksheets, review, practice test, and answer key. One unit is free; subscribe for the full class.
- Oscillations
Damped and driven harmonic oscillators
Coming soon - Continuous waves
Wave equation on strings and membranes
Coming soon - Advanced wave phenomena
Impedance and reflection at interfaces
Coming soon
Notes
Topics reflect common upper-division physics syllabi at US colleges and universities. Prerequisites, lab pairing, and mathematical depth vary by department.