Waves, Light, Heat, Sound, and Matter Study Guide

Flashcards covering essential vocabulary related to waves, light, sound, heat, electricity, and matter in preparation for the exam.

Wave

A disturbance that transfers energy from one point to another.

Medium

Matter through which a wave travels, which can be a solid, liquid, or gas.

Transverse Wave

A wave where matter moves up and down as the wave travels through it.

Crest

The peak or highest point of a transverse wave.

Trough

The valley or lowest point of a transverse wave.

Wavelength

The distance from any point on one wave to a corresponding point on an adjacent wave.

Amplitude

The height of a wave, related to the energy of the wave.

Sound Waves

Compressional waves produced by vibrations that transfer energy through a medium.

Vibration

The movement of particles in a medium.

Electromagnetic Waves

Waves that can travel through empty space and do not require a medium.

Refraction

The bending of light waves as they move from one medium into another.

Absorbed Light

Light that is converted to heat energy.

Conduction

Heat transfer through direct contact between materials.

Convection

Heat transfer through the movement of fluids (liquids and gases).

Radiation

Heat transfer through electromagnetic waves.

Static Electricity

The build-up of electrical charge on a material's surface.

Direct Current (DC)

Electric current that flows in one direction.

Alternating Current (AC)

Electric current that changes direction periodically.

Gravity

The force that pulls objects toward the center of the Earth.

Friction

A force that opposes motion when two surfaces rub against each other.

Mass

A measure of the amount of matter in an object.

Density

The mass per unit volume of a substance.

Chemical Change

A change in matter that produces new substances.

Physical Change

A change affecting one or more physical properties without altering the substance's composition.

Law of Conservation of Mass

Mass is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction.

Kinetic Energy

Energy of motion exhibited by moving particles.

Solute

The substance that gets dissolved in a solution.

Solvent

The substance in which the solute is dissolved, commonly water.