Vibrations and Waves - Vocabulary Flashcards (Lecture Notes)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the Vibrations and Waves lecture notes, including definitions of vibration, wave, medium, frequency, period, amplitude, wavelength, crest, trough, types of waves, wave speed, and related concepts.

Vibration

A wiggle or periodic motion in time; movement about an equilibrium position.

Wave

A disturbance that travels through space and time, transferring energy from the source to other locations.

Medium

The substance through which a wave travels (air, water, etc.); waves may depend on a medium (except electromagnetic waves).

Disturbance

A disruption that propagates through a medium as a wave.

Frequency

The number of complete vibrations or waves that pass a point per unit time; measured in hertz (Hz).

Period

The time required for one complete vibration or one wave to pass a point; measured in seconds (s).

Amplitude

The maximum displacement from the equilibrium position (midline) to a crest or trough.

Wavelength

The distance between two adjacent crests (or troughs) or between identical points on successive waves.

Crest

The highest point of a wave.

Trough

The lowest point of a wave.

Transverse wave

A wave in which the oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of travel.

Longitudinal wave

A wave in which the oscillations are parallel to the direction of travel; includes compressions and rarefactions.

Compression

The region in a longitudinal wave where particles are closest together.

Rarefaction

The region in a longitudinal wave where particles are farthest apart.

Wave speed

The rate at which the wave disturbance travels through the medium; v = f × λ.

Sine curve

A smooth, periodic curve representing a wave’s shape, often produced by a vibrating pen tracing a sine wave.

Equilibrium

The resting position around which a vibrating object oscillates.

Electromagnetic waves

Waves that do not require a medium and can propagate through a vacuum (e.g., light, radio waves).

Energy transfer

The process by which waves carry energy from the source to other locations.

Wave motion

Propagation of a disturbance through a medium, with the medium returning to its initial condition after passage; requires energy source and a medium (except light).

v = f λ

Wave speed equals frequency times wavelength; the relationship between speed, frequency, and wavelength.

f = 1/T

Frequency equals one over the period; inverse relationship between frequency and period.