Science notes

Longitudinal Wave

A type of wave where vibrations occur parallel to the direction of wave propagation.

Compression

A region in a longitudinal wave where particles are close together.

Rarefaction

A region in a longitudinal wave where particles are spread apart.

Medium

The substance through which sound waves travel; can be air, water, or solids.

Sound Propagation

The process by which sound travels through a medium, involving alternation of compressions and rarefactions.

Echo

A reflection of sound that returns to the listener after bouncing off a surface.

Speed of Sound

The rate at which sound travels through various media; fastest in solids, slower in liquids, and slowest in gases.

Frequency

The number of sound waves produced per second, measured in Hertz (Hz).

Pitch

The perceived frequency of a sound; higher frequency results in higher pitch and vice versa.

Transverse Wave

A wave in which the movement of the wave is perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer.

Amplitude

The maximum distance from the rest position to the crest or trough of a wave.

Reflection

The bouncing back of a wave when it encounters a barrier, following the law of reflection.

Refraction

The bending of light as it passes from one medium to another due to a change in speed.

Vacuum

A space devoid of matter; sound cannot travel through a vacuum.

Gravity

A fundamental force that attracts masses towards each other, significantly influencing the structure of the universe.

Mass

The amount of matter in an object, measured in kilograms (kg), remains constant regardless of location.

Weight

The force exerted by gravity on an object, measured in Newtons (N), varies with gravitational field strength.

Galaxies

Massive collections of stars bound together by gravity, with the Milky Way being our home galaxy.

Seasons

Varying patterns of weather and daylight caused by the tilt of the Earth's axis in relation to its orbit around the Sun.