Segment 2 Topic 3

Wave

any disturbance that transfers energy from place to place

Mechanical Wave

a wave that has to travel through some type of matter

Medium

The matter in which a wave travels through

Vacuum

Emptiness, such as space

Transverse wave

A wave that travels perpendicular to the direction of the source’s motion

Amplitude

The distance between the highest part of the crest and the resting position

Longitudinal wave

A wave that travels in the same direction as the vibrations that produce it

Crest

The very top of a wave

Trough

The very bottom of a wave

Resting point

The equilibrium position of a wave where the medium is at rest and there is no disturbance

Wavelength

The distance between consecutive crests or troughs of a wave

Frequency

The number of complete waves that pass a given point in a specific amount of time

Wave speed formula

Wave speed = wavelength x frequency

Wavelength formula

Wavelength = wave speed / frequency

Frequency formula

Frequency = wavespeed / wavelength

Frequency

The number of times a wave repeats in a given amount of time

A wave’s energy is proportional to the _____ of its amplitude.

square

What SI unit measures a wave’s energy?

Joule (J)

What SI unit measures a wave’s frequency?

Hertz (Hz)