Mechanical Waves and Sound Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards for Mechanical Waves and Sound lecture notes.

Vibration

Wiggling/shaking, back and forth motion.

Damping

Tendency of a vibrating object to lose or dissipate energy over time.

Periodic Motion

Motion which is repeated in equal intervals of time.

Equilibrium

The resting position where all forces are balanced.

Period (T)

Time to complete a full cycle.

Resonance

When forces are applied to a vibrating object at time intervals equal to the period of oscillation, causing the amplitude to increase.

Wave

Disturbance that carries energy through matter or space.

Medium

Any physical matter through which a wave travels (e.g., air, water, rope).

Transverse Wave

Wave that displaces the medium with a pulse disturbance perpendicular to the direction of the wave.

Longitudinal Wave

Wave that displaces the medium with a pulse disturbance parallel to the direction of the wave.

Amplitude (A)

Maximum distance from equilibrium.

Wavelength (λ)

Length of one complete wave; distance from one position on the wave to the next matching position when the pattern is ready to repeat.

Frequency (f)

How many waves pass per second, measured in Hertz (Hz).

In Phase

Crests match.

Out of Phase

Crests don't match.

Superposition

Displacement of a medium caused by two or more waves is the sum of the displacements by individual waves (interference).

Constructive Interference

When waves are superimposed, their energies are added together.

Destructive Interference

When waves are superimposed, their energies are cancelled out.

Standing Waves

Combination of two waves moving in opposite directions, each having the same amplitude and frequency.

Law of Reflection

The angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.

Law of Refraction

The bending of the path of a light wave as it passes from one material to another.

Sound Wave

A pressure oscillation that is transmitted through matter.

Sonic Boom

The sound associated with the shock waves created whenever an object traveling through the air travels faster than the speed of sound.

Doppler Effect

Change in frequency or wavelength of a wave in relation to an observer who is moving relative to the wave source.

Beats

An interference pattern between two sounds of slightly different frequencies, perceived as a periodic variation in volume.