Wave’s review

Wave

a disturbance that moves energy through matter or space from one place to another.

Medium

matter (solid liquid gas) that the mechanical wave moves through.

Crest

The high point in a transverse wave (above rest point).

Trough

The low point in a transverse wave (below rest point)

Wavelength of transverse wave

Distance from one point of a wave to the nearest point just like it (from crest to crest or trough to trough)

Two major types of waves

Mechanical (need a medium) and electromagnetic (do not need a medium) waves.

Two types of mechanical waves

Transverse waves and longitudinal/compressional waves.

Amplitude (in general)

In a compressional wave the blank depends on the density of the medium in the compressions and rarefractions.

The greater the amplitude

The more energy the wave carries

Very high amplitude compressional waves

Have very dense compressions and very low density of Rarefractions

Amplitude (of sound waves)

Volume, if you increase the amplitude of a compressional wave the volume gets louder.

Frequency (in general)

the number of waves that pass a fixed point each second. Measured in Hertz.

Frequency (of sound waves)

Pitch

Electromagnetic waves

These waves don’t need a medium to travel through in order to transfer energy.

Examples of Electromagnetic waves.

Light Waves, Microwaves, UV rays, X rays, Radio waves.

Electromagnetic wave

They can travel through a vacuum (space).

Mechanical Wave

These waves do need a medium to travel.

Transverse wave

Energy in the medium moves back and forth at right angles to the direction the wave travels.

Longitudinal Wave

Also known as compressional wave, the energy moves back and forth in the same direction the wave travels.

If frequency decreases

Wavelength increases and it works the other way around too.

Compression

An area on the wave where the medium becomes more dense (squeezed tightly together)

Rarefraction

An area on the wave where the medium is less dense.

Wavelength of compressional waves

Distance from one point of a wave to the nearest point just like it. (Rarefraction to Rarefraction or compression to compression)

Amplitude of compressional wave

The amplitude depends on the density of the medium in the compressions and Rarefractions

Reflection

The process by which a wave hits an object and bounces off of it

Absorption

When a wave hits a material and it is not reflected back instead it gets sucked in.

Transmission

“To go through”

Equilibrium

The point of rest

These are

The characteristics of a transverse wave

This is

The characteristics of a compressional/longitudinal wave