Waves and Sound Waves Lecture Review

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to waves and sound waves, from definitions to properties and classifications.

Wave

A disturbance that transfers energy through a medium.

Mechanical Waves

Waves that require a medium to transfer; they cannot travel in a vacuum.

Electromagnetic Waves

Waves that do not require a medium; they can travel in a vacuum.

Transverse Waves

Waves where particles of the medium vibrate up and down perpendicular to the direction of travel.

Longitudinal Waves

Waves where particles of the medium vibrate forward and backward parallel to the direction of travel.

Crest

The highest point of a wave.

Trough

The lowest point of a wave.

Compression

A region where particles are closer together, leading to increased pressure.

Rarefaction

A region where particles are further apart, leading to decreased pressure.

Amplitude

The maximum displacement or distance moved by a wave from its rest position.

Wavelength

The distance of one complete wave, measured from crest to crest or trough to trough.

Frequency

The number of waves that pass a point in one second, measured in Hertz (Hz).

Periodic Time (T)

The time required for one complete wave.

Speed of Wave

The speed at which a wave travels, which depends on the medium it travels through.

Reflection

The bouncing back of a wave after it hits a barrier.

Refraction

The change in direction of a wave as it passes from one medium to another due to a change in speed.

Diffraction

The spreading of waves as they pass through narrow slits or gaps.

Sound Waves

Mechanical waves that require a medium to travel; they cannot travel in a vacuum.

Doppler Effect

The change in frequency of a wave in relation to an observer moving relative to the source of the wave.

Pitch

The perceived frequency of a sound, which determines how high or low it sounds.

Loudness

The perception of the intensity of sound, related to the amplitude of the wave.

Infra Sound

Sound waves with frequencies below 20 Hz.

Ultra Sound

Sound waves with frequencies above 20,000 Hz.