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Waves
Waves Vocab
Question | Answer |
---|---|
wave | a disturbance that transfers energy from one place to another, made by vibrations |
transverse wave | a wave in which the direction of the wave travels is perpendicular (right angles) to the direction of the disturbance |
longitudinal wave | a wave that travels in the same direction as the disturbance, parallel |
mechanical wave | waves that transfer energy through matter |
Electromagnetic waves | do not require particles to move and therefore can travel through a vacuum |
electromagnetic radiation | includes light and radio |
trough | lowest point (valley) of a wave |
crest | highest point (peak) of a wave |
node | place in an interference pattern where no motion occurs |
amplitude | for transverse waves: the distance between the resting point (or equilibrium) to the crest or trough |
wavelength | the distance from one wave crest to the very next crest. (This may also be measured from trough to trough.) |
reflection | when a wave bounces with incident angle equaling final angle |
refraction | the bending of a wave as it enters a new medium at an angle other than 90 degrees |
interference | the meeting and combining of waves, often happens when waves cancel each other |
periodic motion | Any motion that repeats in a regular cycle; harmonic (both need to be known) |
velocity | how fast a crest moves |
frequency | number of waves per unit time, hertz |
speed | changes to cause a wave to bend |
period | time required for one complete wave cycle |
rarefaction | when molecules are spread apart |
compression | place where air particles are close together |
lamda | wavelength |
velocity in light and air | 3.00 x10^8 |
hertz | unit of frequency |