click below
click below
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Waves
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Light Energy | that form of energy that animals can see directly; visible electromagnetic radiation |
Wavelength | the distance between one peak and the next in a wave, or between one trough and the next |
frequency | the number of cycles a wave completes in a period of time; the number of times something happens in a period of time |
spectrum | a range of electromagnetic frequencies; e.g. the light spectrum is the range of frequencies of visible light |
earthquake | a sudden shaking of the ground caused by the movement of rock underground |
vacuum | an area in which there is no matter |
Tectonic plate | one of several huge pieces of Earth's crust |
vocal | having to do with the voice or speaking |
sound | a vibration that travels through a material, such as air or water; something that you sense with your hearing |
Electromagnetic spectrum | the full range of frequencies of electromagnetic waves |
Sound wave | a sound vibration as it is passing through a material: Most sound waves spread out in every direction from their source. |
Radiant energy | energy that does not need matter to travel; light |
radiation | a process by which energetic electromagnetic waves move from one place to another |
vibration | the rapid movement of an object back and forth |
seismic | having to do with earthquakes or earth vibrations |
Amplitude | height or "strength" of a wave |
Longitudinal wave | a wave that occurs when the particles of a medium move parallel to the direction of the wave |
Transverse wave | a wave that occurs when the particles of a medium are displaced perpendicularly to the direction of the wave |
Detect | to notice or find, often with the help of a science tool (related word: detection, detector) |
ultraviolet | a type of electromagnetic radiation that has a higher frequency than violet light: Ultraviolet light is invisible to humans. |
Infrared | electromagnetic energy that has a lower frequency than visible light and is beyond the color of red on the light spectrum |
trough | the lowest point of a wave |
refraction | a change in the direction and velocity which occurs when a seismic or electromagnetic wave travels from one material into another of different density, state, or elasticity |
reflection | to strike a surface and bounce back in the opposite direction |
wave | a disturbance caused by a vibration |