Waves key words and definitions

Study

Wave

A repeating disturbance or movement that moves energy through matter or space.

Medium

The matter(solid, liquid , gas) that mechanical waves travel through

Mechanical Waves

Transverse and Longitude

Categories of waves

Mechanical and Electromagnetic

Transverse Wave

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

Longitudinal/compressional

Energy moves back and forth the same direction that the wave travels

Electromagnetic waves

Do not need a medium to travel through in order to transfer energy

Crest

Highest point in a transverse wave

Trough

Lowest point in a transverse wave

Wavelength of transverse wave

Distance from one point of a wave to the nearest point just like it

Frequency

the number of wavelengths that pass a fixed point each second

Amplitude

Distance between a crest or trough and the position of the medium at rest

if wave length increases…

Then the frequency decreases

Compression

An area where the wave from distance from one point of a wave ti the nearest point

The greater the amplitude…

The more energy the wave carries

If you increase the amplitude of a compressional wave…

The volume gets louder

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

Transmission

To go through