Physics II - Waves Vocabulary

Pulse

is a single disturbance that transfers energy over a distance

Oscillation

is a periodic (regularly repeating) disturbance

Wave

is a periodic disturbance that transfers energy over a distance without any net transfer of the medium

Mechanical Waves

(e.g. sound, water waves) travel through a medium (e.g. air, water)

Electromagnetic Waves

(e.g. light, X-rays, UV rays) do not require a medium to propagate

Trough

the point of minimum amplitude

Crest

the point of maximum amplitude

Transverse Waves

the particles oscillate at right angles to the direction of travel

Longitudinal Waves

the particles oscillate along the direction of travel

Compression

the point where the particles are closest together

Rarefraction

the point where the particles are farthest apart

Displacement of a wave

of a particle is how far it has moved from its rest position

Wavelength

is the distance between two consecutive particles that have the same displacement, i.e. to consecutive crests/compressions or troughs/rarefactions

Velocity

of a wave is the speed and direction in which it is travelling

Frequency

of a wave is the number of wavelengths that pass a given point every second

Period

of a wave is the amount of time taken for one wavelength to pass a given point

Amplitude

is the maximum displacement of a particle from its rest position

Intensity

is the energy that a wave transports per unit time across a unit area of the medium.

Frequency formula

F=1/t