Light Waves Vocab

Wave

A disturbance that transmits energy through matter or space

Medium

A substance through which a wave can travel

Transverse wave

A wave in which the particles of the wave's medium vibrate perpendicular to the direction the wave is traveling

Crest

The highest point of a transverse wave

Trough

The lowest point of a transverse wave

Amplitude

The maximum distance a wave vibrates from its rest position (Distance from rest to crest OR rest to trough); intensity of a wave

Wavelength

The distance between one point on a wave and the corresponding point on an adjacent wave in a series of waves

Electromagnetic Wave

A wave that can travel through space or matter and consists of changing electric and magnetic fields

Frequency

The number of waves produced in one second; determines the amount of energy in a wave

Transparent

material in which all visible light is easily transmitted through matter

Translucent

material in which visible light is transmitted but scattered when passing through matter

Opaque

material where visible light is NOT transmitted through matter

Absorbing

occurs when photons from light hit atoms and molecules and cause them to vibrate

Transmitting

When light waves pass through matter

Concave Lens

refracts light, curved inward, diverges light, produces an image that is small and upright

Convex Mirror

reflects light, curved outward, diverges light, produces an image that is small and upright

Concave Mirror

reflects light, curved inward, converges light, If object is FAR:

the image appears small and upside-down; If object is CLOSE: image appears magnified and upright

Convex Lens

refracts light, curved outward, converges light, If object is FAR:

the image appears small and upside-down; If object is CLOSE: image appears magnified and upright

Converge

light waves that are coming together

Diverge

light waves that are spreading apart

Plane Mirror

reflects light, produces an image that is the same size and upright

Refracting

a change of direction that light undergoes when it enters a medium with a different density

The Law of Reflection

The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.

Reflecting

when light bounces off a surface