Chapter 15 Vocabulary

wave

is a disturbance that transfers energy from one place to another without transferring matter

mechanical wave

a wave that can travel only through matter

medium

a material in which a wave travels

transverse wave

a wave in which the disturbance is perpendicular to the direction the wave travels

crests

highest points on a transverse wave

trough

lowest points on a transverse wave

longitudinal wave

makes the particles in a medium move parallel to the direction that the wave travels

compression

the regions of a longitudinal wave where the particles in the medium are closet together

rarefaction

regions of a longitudinal wave where the particles are farthest apart are

electromagnetic wave

a wave that can travel through empty space and through matter

amplitude

of a wave is the maximum distance that the wave moves from its rest position

wavelength

a wave is the distance from one point on a wave to the same point on the next wave

frequency

a wave is the number of wavelengths that pass by a point each second

absorption

the transfer of energy by a wave to the medium through which it travels

transmission

the passage of light through an object

reflection

is the passage of light through an object

law of reflection

when a wave is reflected from surface the angle of reflection is equal to the angle of the incident

refraction

change in direction of a wave that occurs as the wave changes speed when moving from one medium to another

diffraction

the change in direction of a wave when it travels by the edge of an object through an opening

interference

occurs when waves that overlap and combine forming a new wave