Waves Vocab pt 1

Wave

A disturbance that transfers energy from place to place

Kinetic Energy

the energy an object has due to its motion

Crest

Highest point of a wave

Through

The bottom part of a wave

Oscillation

movement back and forth at a regular speed

Wavelength

Horizontal distance between the crests or between the troughs of two adjacent waves

Amplitude

For a wave or vibration, the maximum displacement on either side of the equilibrium (midpoint) position.

Tsunami

A giant wave usually caused by an earthquake beneath the ocean floor.

Vibration

What causes a sound

Medium

Material through which a wave travels

Longitudinal Waves

a wave in which the particles move perpendicular to the path of the wave

Compressional wave

a wave in which matter moves back and forth in the direction the wave is moving

Frequency

the number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time

Mechanical Wave

A wave that requires a medium through which to travel

Node

A point on a standing wave that has no displacement from the rest position

Velocity

the speed of an object in a particular direction