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Waves
Term | Definition |
---|---|
wave | a disturbance that transfers energy from place to place |
wavelength | the distance between two crests or two troughs |
frequency | the number of complete waves that pass a given point in a certain amount of time |
hertz (Hz) | unit of measurement to measure frequency |
amplitude | the height of the wave |
vibration | a repeated back-and-forth or up-and-down motion; the source of the wave |
transverse waves | waves that move the medium (solids, liquids, gases) in a direction perpendicular (right angles) to the direction in which the waves are traveling |
longitudinal waves | move the particles of the medium (solids, liquids, gases) parallel to the direction that the waves are traveling |
surface waves | waves that are a combination of transverse and longitudinal waves |
crests | the highest parts of a wave |
troughs | the lowest parts of a wave |
rarefactions | when the coils in longitudinal waves are spread out |
compressions | when the coils in longitudinal waves are close together |
electromagnetic spectrum | all of the frequencies or wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation |
reflection | the bouncing back of a ray of light, sound, or heat when the ray hits a surface that it does not go through |
refraction | the bending of a wave as the wave passes between two substances in which the speed of the wave differs |
electromagnetic waves | a wave that consists of electric and magnetic fields that vibrate at right angles to each other |
Doppler Effect | The change in frequency or wavelength of a wave for an observer who is moving relative to the wave source. The effect of sound getting quicker and louder as the source approaches you. |