chapter 14&15 Flashcards
Wave
a periodic disturbance a periodic disturbance in a solid, liquid, or gas as energy is transmitted through a medium.
Mechanical Waves
waves that require a medium to propagate.
EM waves
a wave that consists oscillating electric and magnetic fields, which radiate outward at the speed of light.
Medium
a physical environment in which phenomena occur
Sound waves
are longitudinal waves & spread out in spherical wavefronts.
two types of waves
traverse & longitudinal
Longitudinal Wave
a wave in which the particles of the medium vibrate parallel to the direction of wave motion. picture p. 464 & 461
Traverse Wave
a wave in which the particles of the medium move perpendicular to the direction the wave is traveling. pict. p 460
Surface Waves
- Occur at the boundary between two different media.
- Particles move in both longitudinal and traverse directions.
Crest
the highest point of a wave.
Trough
the lowest point of wave.
Amplitude
from zero to the max value.
wavelength
lambda = v_wave* T = v_wave/f.
reflection
the reflection of a wave from an object.
interference
the combination of two or more waves of the ?same frequency that results in a single wave