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Wave
An oscillation that carries energy from one place to another
Transverse wave
Oscillates perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer eg light
Longitudinal wave
Oscillation is parallel to the direction of energy transfer eg sound
Wave length
The distance from one point on a wave to the equivalent position on the next
Frequency
Number of oscillations per second
Period
Time for one complete oscillation
Amplitude
Maximum distance of a point on a wave from it's rest position
measure velocity of sound in air
Stand far away from a large reflecting wall and measure the distance using a measuring tape. Make a loud sound and use a stop watch to measure the time between making the sound and hearing the echo. Repeat and take an average. Half the time.
Measure the velocity of water ripples
Use a bar to make ripples in a water tank. Use a stop watch to time how long it takes for the ripple to reach the end of the tank. Measure the distance the wave travel. Calculate speed
Infrasound
Longitudinal sound wave with frequency below 20Hz. It is used for animal communication/detection , earthquake detection, meteor detection
Ultrasound
Longitudinal sound wave with frequency above 20 000Hz. It is used for sonar equipments to find the depth of the sea, ultasound scans, animals such as bats
