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Waves Vocabulary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| medium | the matter a wave travels through (ex. solid, liquid or gas) |
| reflection | when a wave bounces off an object |
| frequency | how often a wave occurs in a given amount of time |
| wave | a disturbance that transfers energy from one place to another |
| vacuum | empty space (where no matter exists) |
| wavelength | the distance from the beginning to the end of a wave |
| electromagnetic waves | these waves CAN travel through empty space |
| mechanical waves | these waves need to travel through a MEDIUM |
| refraction | waves bend as they enter a new medium and change speed |
| absorption | waves hit an object and stop |
| transverse waves | waves that have crests and troughs (up and down motion) |
| longitudinal waves | waves that have compressions and rarefactions (side to side motion) |