8.PS4.2 Modeling Waves through Various Mediums

Vocabulary flashcards defined in student-friendly terms based on physical science curriculum notes for 8.PS4.2: Modeling Waves through Various Mediums.

medium

material a wave travels through

model

a simple way to show how something works

wave model

drawing or object that represents wave behavior

solid

matter with a fixed shape and volume

liquid

matter with fixed volume but changing shape

gas

matter with no fixed shape or volume

vacuum

empty space with little or no matter

sound

vibrations traveling through matter

light

electromagnetic energy we can see

transmission

passing through a material

reflection

bouncing off a surface

absorption

taking in energy

refraction

bending of a wave as it changes speed

diffraction

bending or spreading of waves around objects

speed

how fast something moves

density

how tightly matter is packed

particle motion

movement of tiny particles in matter

vibration

back-and-forth motion

echo

reflected sound

transparent

lets light pass through clearly

opaque

blocks light from passing through