Unit 7

Waves, Oscillations, Sound

Infrasonic

refers to sound waves that have a frequency below the audible range of human hearing, typically below

Doppler

effect observed when there is a change in frequency or wavelength of a wave in relation to an observer moving relative to the wave source.

Supersonic

speeds that exceed the speed of sound in a given medium, typically in air.

Frequency

the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit of time, typically measured in hertz.

Oscillation

refers to the repeating fluctuation or movement of a system around a central point or equilibrium position, often described in terms of its amplitude and frequency.

Wavelength

the distance between successive crests of a wave, typically measured in meters.

Crest

the highest point of a wave, representing the maximum displacement from the equilibrium position.

Timbre

the quality or color of a sound that distinguishes it from other sounds, often influenced by the harmonic content and the way the sound is produced.

Period

the time taken for one complete cycle of a wave to pass a given point, typically measured in seconds.

Sinusoidal

having the shape or characteristics of a sine wave, often used to describe smooth periodic oscillations.

Ultrasonic

having a frequency above the audible range for humans, typically above 20 kHz, and used in various applications such as medical imaging and cleaning.

Radians

A unit of angular measure used in mathematics, defined as the angle subtended at the center of a circle by an arc equal in length to the radius of the circle.

RPM

Revolutions per minute, a unit of rotational speed that measures the number of complete turns made in one minute.

Amplitude

The maximum extent of a vibration or oscillation, measured from the position of equilibrium. In sound waves, it relates to the loudness of the sound.

Harmonics

The study of frequencies that are whole number multiples of a fundamental frequency, resulting in complex sound waves or vibrations.

Trough

The lowest point of a wave, representing the minimum displacement from the equilibrium position in oscillatory motion.

Hertz

A unit of frequency equal to one cycle per second, commonly used to measure sound and electromagnetic waves.