Questions tagged [phase-velocity]
The phase-velocity tag has no usage guidance.
74
questions
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2answers
38 views
Theoretical question about waves and interference
Assume I’m given a standing wave function and I’m asked to find the phase velocity of the two waves that interfered and created the standing wave.
Now, I have two questions:
Is it possible to move ...
0
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1answer
33 views
Why is the speed of a quantum particle defined as coefficient of $t$ over coefficient of $x$?
I’m currently studying quantum mechanics from Introduction to Quantum Mechanics by Griffiths. In his free particle section, he says that the speed of a particle is the coefficient of $t$ over the ...
2
votes
1answer
36 views
Significance of Group velocity Equation
$$v_g\equiv\frac{\partial\omega}{\partial k}.$$
The above equation is for Group velocity of waves, so what is the Physical Interpretation of this Equation? As we know $k$ is wave number which shows ...
0
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1answer
27 views
Question concerning phase curves and Lissajous figures
I want to draw the "orbits" of a spherical pendulum under small oscillations. In this case its equations are given by $\ddot{x}_{1}=-x_{1}$ and $\ddot{x}_{2}=-x_{2}$. Of course the potential ...
0
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1answer
30 views
Is propagation speed depending of wavelength? (QM)
In case of a single free particle, no potential field, the wave function is:
$$ \Psi = A e^{i(kx-\omega t)}. $$
As it must fulfill the Schrödinger equation
$$ - \frac{\hbar^2}{2m} \nabla^2 \ \psi(\...
0
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1answer
18 views
Does self-phase modulation generate new frequency components?
Not a physicist. Hope to clarify some conceptual issues I have with non-linear propagation of light through a medium, since I seem to be mixing up some very fundamental concepts. Specifically, I am ...
1
vote
1answer
35 views
Phase velocity in monatomic chain
When considering a one-dimensional monatomic chain of atoms (identical masses $m$ & spring constant $\kappa$), one finds the following dispersion:
$$ \omega(k) = \sqrt\frac{\kappa}{m}\cdot\left|\...
0
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2answers
29 views
When height increases then why velocity becomes low?
It's an example.
The satellite is moving around the earth. But when its height increases its velocity becomes low
0
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2answers
38 views
How does the width or depth of a container of water affects the speed of an object (e.g. a toy boat) travelling on it?
I am planning to carry out an experiment to investigate how the distance between an object travelling on water (i.e. a toy boat) and the walls would affect its speed. I predict that the speed will ...
2
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0answers
27 views
Lightspeed - what do we measure? Wave group, phase, front and signal velocities
I'm studying for an experiment of measuring the lightspeed c. It will be measured following the rotating mirrors method by Fizeau-Foucault, using a HeNe laser.
I could understand - and visualize - ...
2
votes
1answer
50 views
What is the correct expression for phase velocity of a relativistic free particle?
According to most books,the relativistic free particle with velocity $v$ has phase velocity, $$v_p=\frac{c^2}{v}\tag{1}$$
But, a free particle also means potential energy $V=0$.Therefore we might as ...
0
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1answer
39 views
Phase velocity of a wave function across a potential energy step
I'm trying to do point c of problem 2.34 in Griffiths' book on QM:
It requires that I find the relative phase speed of the wave function outside and inside the potential. We're given the expression ...
0
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0answers
32 views
What is the difference, if any, between propagation velocity and phase velocity?
My textbook for my electromagnetic waves class mentions both propagation velocity and phase velocity separately, without specifically defining either. When I googled both terms, I couldn't find a ...
3
votes
1answer
91 views
Does phase velocity or group velocity change when light enters a new material? Contradictory sources
I'm so confused. I've read in this book (page 28) that group velocity of light can exceed $c$ in certain gases. However a lot of people online and in the forums say that phase velocity can exceed $c$.
...
0
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0answers
34 views
Why do matter waves have superluminal phase velocites?
Specifically why do they have $V = \frac{c}{β}$ as stated in this paper written by De Broglie: http://aflb.ensmp.fr/LDB-oeuvres/De_Broglie_Kracklauer.pdf ?
I follow the proof of “phase harmony” ...
3
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0answers
40 views
Which formulae should I use when calculating the frequency of an electron given its speed? [duplicate]
If I know the speed of an electron, how should I go about calculating its frequency?
For example, if the electron was travelling at $v$ $ms^{-1}$ there are two options I could take.
Calculate the ...
0
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1answer
29 views
What are the phase speeds of $A_0$ and $S_0$ Lamb waves at very low frequencies?
Lamb waves are elastic wave modes in plates. In general, they are mathematically complex to deal with, and numerical solutions are typically used to find dispersion curves for each mode, as shown in ...
4
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3answers
671 views
How to calculate the phase and group velocity of a superposition of sine waves with different speed and wavelength?
This might seem like a trivial question but it is not for me. So, I was reading on group and phase velocities from A.P. French where he calculates the phase and group velocities for a superposition of ...
3
votes
1answer
152 views
Why the direction of propagation of wave is perpendicular to wavefront at each point
Why is the direction of propagation of a wave perpendicular to the wavefront at each point? I know this sounds intuitively true, but a simple mathematical proof would be very helpful.
If I have an ...
0
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0answers
18 views
Link between properties of dispersive systems and group velocity larger than phase velocity
I recently bumped into systems where the group velocity is larger than the phase velocity (capillary waves for example).
What does it mean in terms of system properties ?
When does a system have a ...
2
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0answers
44 views
Is the phase velocity of plane wave solutions of the Klein-Gordon equation larger than $c$?
The phase velocity is given by
$$ v= \frac{\omega}{k} \, .$$
Using the usual dispersion relation
$$ E^2 = p^2c^2+ m^2c^4 \leftrightarrow \omega^2 \hbar^2= k^2\hbar^2 c^2 + m^2c^4$$
yields
$$ v= \frac{\...
2
votes
2answers
101 views
Is the group velocity times the phase velocity always the velocity of light squared?
Can there be cases where it is different from $c$ squared? If so in what situations would it differ?
8
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1answer
337 views
Seeming violation-wave travelling faster than speed of light
Consider the basic relation $$E=\sqrt{(pc)^2+(mc^2)^2}.$$
Every particle possesses a wave nature and it depends on the situation in which one among the two is perceptible...
Consider a particle with ...
1
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0answers
57 views
Wave packet - phase vs group velocity
So, I've been revising QM recently and the concept of group vs phase velocity has me confused.
Let's say we have a wave packet. As quoted in Griffiths, "...A wave packet is a superposition of ...
3
votes
2answers
402 views
What does phase velocity physically represent, and why can it be superluminal? [duplicate]
Phase velocity is defined as $v_p=\frac{\omega}{k}$ and is described in various textbooks as being the speed at which the phase of a wave propagates. If you have a wave train that is modulated by an ...
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1answer
85 views
Wave packet in dispersive medium, how will the group velocity be affected? [closed]
A wave packet with center frequency ω is propagating in dispersive medium with phase velocity of 1.5 x 10^3 m/s. When the frequency ω is increased by 2%, the phase velocity is found to decrease by 3%. ...
5
votes
2answers
265 views
What really is the speed of light in a medium/vacuum, group or phase velocity?
While reading about refractive index 2 terms popped up, group velocity which alway slows down in a medium and phase velocity which may exceed speed of light. Say in a complete vacuum and using laser ...
1
vote
2answers
2k views
Phase Velocity Derivation
I spend few hours trying to derive phase velocity of sinusoidal wave $$\cos(kx - \omega t).$$ I know that it must be equal to $\omega \over k$ but after banging my head for few hours and trying to ...
3
votes
2answers
248 views
Why we do not use $v=f \lambda$ for the waves associated with particles?
As the waves travel with velocity $$v= f \lambda,$$ where $v$ is velocity, $f$ is frequency and $\lambda$ is wavelength. Here we can see that velocity of wave is directly proportional to wavelength. ...
2
votes
2answers
1k views
Wave group and phase velocities
When talking about phase velocity and group velocity they tend to be both expressed in terms of another $v$. From my understanding this $v$ comes from the wave equation, but what does it represent? ...
3
votes
1answer
94 views
Why is refractive index equals to speed of light upon phase velocity and not group velocity?
We have been using group velocity for most purposes as its the velocity with which the wave packet travels, they why do we use phase velocity for calculating refractive index.
0
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0answers
35 views
How is the phase velocity for a wave in a stringed instrument derived?
I was searching on the internet for a formula relating velocity of wave and force of tension of a string (eg how the tension in a string instrument effects the velocity) and this formula keeps ...
3
votes
1answer
2k views
Why the relationship $v_p v_g = c^2$ (phase velocity multiply group velocity equals lightspeed squared) exists in waveguide structures?
What’s the reason that the relationship of de Broglie hypothesis(hypothesis-->relations) will hold in Waveguide structures?
2
votes
1answer
8k views
Are these definitions for transverse wave velocity on a string consistent?
I've found two definitions for the velocity of a transverse wave on a stretched string:
$$
\begin{align}
v & = \frac{\omega}{k} \tag{1} \\[10px]
v & = \sqrt{\frac{T}{u}} \tag{2}
\end{align}
$$
...
1
vote
1answer
326 views
Is quantum velocity generally equal to group velocity?
It is often said that the velocity operator in quantum mechanics identifies the group velocity. Here's the argument: for the free particle, we have $\omega = \hbar k^2/2m$ and the (quantum) velocity ...
2
votes
1answer
265 views
Linear polarization and phase
In this discussion of polarization, it says
For linearly polarized light, the $x$- and $y$-components are exactly in phase and therefore rise and fall together
Can it therefore be assumed, then, ...
1
vote
2answers
94 views
Meanings of the word “phase”
I have been confused at points due to multiple uses of the word "phase".
Mainly, when I think of a phase diagram, I think of a graph relating temperature to pressure, and segments the possible ...
1
vote
1answer
68 views
For light in a medium, can phase information be extracted from envelope slowdown?
Can phase information be extracted from envelope slowdown? That is, if I can track the envelope of a pulse of light as it travels through a medium, but I can't see the phase of that pulse (maybe the ...
1
vote
1answer
132 views
What is the phase velocity of light in graphene?
This article states that light can "slow down by a factor of a few hundred" when it strikes graphene. I've read elsewhere that the index of refraction of graphene is about 2.65 + 1.27i. According to ...
4
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0answers
97 views
Characteristics of wavepackets
I've been learning about wave packets and group velocities recently and had a question. Using simple trigonometric identies, we can show that the super position of two traveling waves with frequency-...
0
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0answers
146 views
Calculation of Phase Delay of a Curved Planar Dielectric Waveguide (i.e., bend)
I am working on a very phase sensitive planar dielectric waveguide device and I need to calculate the phase delay induced by a bend of some radius, $r$ and of $\phi$ radians for a give planar ...
1
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0answers
139 views
Is disturbance propagation velocity equal to wave velocity in a solid body?
How do the disturbance propagation velocity and wave propagation velocity relate to each other?
To explain my question in details I will describe the following situation from the theory of acoustic ...
0
votes
1answer
576 views
Interpreting group velocity of free particle wave packet
I am trying to understand the concept of group velocity of a free particle wave packet: $$\Psi(x,t) = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2 \pi}}\int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \phi(k)e^{ikx}e^{-\frac{i \hbar k^2 t}{2m}}dk.$$
...
4
votes
1answer
3k views
Wave Velocity vs. Phase Velocity
I am trying to understand the difference between 'wave velocity' and 'phase velocity'. I know that generally they are equal, but when is that not the case?
I, of course, tried to google it, and didn'...
0
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3answers
4k views
Derivation of the group velocity
I know that the group velocity of a light pulse is defined as
$$\begin{split}v_g&=v_p\left(1+\frac{\lambda}{n}\frac{dn}{d\lambda}\right)\\
&=\frac{c}{n}\left(1+\frac{\lambda}{n}\frac{dn}{d\...
4
votes
1answer
105 views
anticausal group velocity?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anomalous_dispersion claims:
Recently, it has become possible to create gases in which the group
velocity is not only larger than the speed of light, but even
...
4
votes
5answers
4k views
Group and phase velocity - why can the latter be faster than light? [duplicate]
The phase velocity can be faster than light. Some argue that the phase velocity doesn't convey information, but this doesn't convince me.
We can emit a wave of a single one frequency. Then it will ...
-1
votes
1answer
938 views
What is meant by 'Phase velocity is $c^2/v$' [closed]
Is phase velocity $c^2/v$ or $v/2$? Is there only one phase velocity as indicated by the above formula? If yes then why is wavepacket said to be superposition of 'waves' whose velocity is termed as ...
2
votes
3answers
944 views
How can pressure and velocity fluctuations in acoustic plane waves be in phase and still hold to the B.C. that velocity must be zero at a solid wall?
In linear plane-wave acoustics (no mean flow, small perturbations, etc.), it is often derived that the phase of a traveling pressure fluctuation wave and a fluctuation velocity wave are the same. For ...
1
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1answer
445 views
Why phase velocity of light is slower in a dielectric than vacuum?
Why does light speed suffer a reduction when it passes through a homogeneous dielectric medium? I know my math says so, i.e.- a highly polarizable ($\chi$) medium is associated with high $\epsilon$ (=$...
