Unit 5 Vocab

Amplitude

The maximum displacement of a wave from its equilibrium position, representing the wave's energy or intensity.

Electromagnetic Wave

A wave that consists of oscillating electric and magnetic fields, which propagate through space without requiring a medium (e.g., light, radio waves).

Frequency

The number of wave cycles that pass a given point per second, measured in Hertz (Hz).

Longitudinal Wave

A wave in which the particles of the medium move parallel to the direction of wave propagation (e.g., sound waves).

Medium

The substance (solid, liquid, or gas) through which a wave travels.

Simple Harmonic Motion

A type of periodic motion in which an object oscillates back and forth through an equilibrium position due to a restoring force proportional to its displacement (e.g., a pendulum).

Transverse Wave

A wave in which the particles of the medium move perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation (e.g., water waves, electromagnetic waves).

Wave

A disturbance that transfers energy through space or a medium, typically classified as mechanical (requiring a medium) or electromagnetic (not requiring a medium).

Wave Energy Propagation

The process by which wave energy moves through a medium or space, transferring energy from one location to another.

Wavelength

The distance between two consecutive points in phase on a wave (such as crest to crest or trough to trough).

Compression

The region in a longitudinal wave where particles are closest together (e.g., the compressed regions of a sound wave).

Crest

The highest point of a transverse wave.

Equilibrium

The resting position of a system or medium when no wave disturbance is present.

Hertz (Hz)

The unit of frequency, measuring the number of wave cycles per second.

Oscillation

A repetitive movement around an equilibrium position, often used to describe wave motion.

Pendulum

A mass suspended from a fixed point that swings back and forth under the influence of gravity, often exhibiting simple harmonic motion.

Period

The time it takes for one complete wave cycle to pass a given point, measured in seconds.

Propagation

The movement or transmission of a wave through a medium or space.

Rarefaction

The region in a longitudinal wave where particles are spread apart (the opposite of compression).

Trough

The lowest point of a transverse wave.

Diffraction

The bending and spreading of waves around obstacles or through openings.

Doppler Effect

The apparent change in frequency of a wave due to the motion of the source or observer (e.g., a siren sounding higher in pitch as it approaches and lower as it moves away).

Focal Point

The point at which parallel waves or light rays converge after reflection or refraction.

Malus's Law

A law in optics stating that the intensity of polarized light passing through a polarizer is proportional to the square of the cosine of the angle between the light’s polarization direction and the polarizer's axis.

Polarization

The orientation of the oscillations in a transverse wave, typically referring to the direction of electric field oscillations in light waves.

Refraction

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

Standing Wave

A wave pattern that results from the interference of two waves traveling in opposite directions, creating nodes (no movement) and antinodes (maximum movement).

Superposition

The principle that when two or more waves overlap, the resulting wave displacement is the sum of the individual wave displacements.