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Electromagnetic-mech
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Wave | A periodic disturbance in a solid,liquid, or gas as energy is transmitted through a medium. |
| Medium | A physical environment in which phenomena occur. |
| Mechanical Wave | A wave that needs a medium in which to travel. |
| Transverse Wave | A wave in which the particles of the medium move perpendicularly to the direction the wave is traveling. |
| Longitudinal Wave | A wave in which the particles of the medium vibrate parallel to the direction of wave motion. |
| Compression | Part of the longitudinal wave where the particles bunch up closer together. |
| Rarefraction | Part of the longitudinal wave in which the particles expand and move apart. |
| Electromagnetic Wave | A wave that consists of electric and magnetic fields that vibrate at right angles to each other. |
| Reflection | The bouncing back of a ray of light,sound, or heat when the ray hits a surface that is does not go through. |
| Refraction | The bending of a wave as the wave passes between the 2 substances in which the speed of the wave differs. |
| Diffraction | A change in the direction of a wave when the wave finds an obstacle or an edge, such as an opening. |
| Transmission | The passing of light or other form of energy through matter. |
| Absorption | In optics, the transfer of light energy to particles of matter. |