PHYSICS - MECHANICAL WAVES

Mechanical Waves

require a medium to transfer energy from source

Longitudinal Waves

waves wherein the particle motion is in the same direction in which the wave is propagating

Sound

form of energy; pressure wave consisting of compressions and rarefactions

Transverse Waves

motion in which all points on a wave oscillate along points at right angles

Periodic Waves

any repeating pattern with constant wavelength and frequency

Sinusoidal Waves

“sine wave”; shows how the amplitude of a variable changes with time

Amplitude

amount of energy in an electromagnetic wave; distance of the maximum vertical displacement of the wave from its mean position

Wavelength

physical distance between two consecutive peaks in a sound wave

Frequency/Pitch

rate of vibration

Timbrev

quality of a sound

Reflection

responsible for phenomenon of the echo; bouncing back of light/waves; density of the medium in which light is travelling changes

Refraction

; density of the medium in which light is travelling changes

Diffraction

ability to bend around obstacles

Sound Intensity

calculation of noise sound intensity in the air at the listener position as a quantity of sound energy