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Properties of Waves
Indicators 8.P.3A1 & 2
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Wave | A repeating disturbance or vibration that transfers or moves energy from place to place. |
| Vibration | A repeated back and forth or up and down movement |
| Medium | A material through which waves can travel . Can be a solid, liquid or gas. |
| Mechanical Waves | Waves that require a medium. |
| Transverse Waves | Waves vibrate through a medium at right angles (perpendicular) Ex. electromagnetic waves |
| Longitudinal Waves | Waves that vibrate through a medium in the same direction (parallel). Also known as compressional waves. Ex: Sound waves |
| Compression | Place on a wave that is pushed together. |
| Rarefaction | Place on a wave that is apart. |
| Frequency | Measure of how many waves pass a point in a certain amount of time. |
| Amplitude | Measure of the distance between the line through the middle of the wave and the crest or trough. |
| Wavelength | A measure of the distance from the crest on a wave to the crest of the very next wave. |
| Vacuum | Empty space |
| Electromagnetic Waves | A wave that transfers energy through a vacuum as well as through matter. Examples: Radio waves, light waves, x-rays |