Definitions Flashcards
Learning the terms
Medium
Material through which a wave travels
Frequency
Number of complete cycles that pass a point in a certain amount of time.
Wavelength
The distance between two crests/troughs
Transverse
Moves perpendicular of wave
Amplitude
Maximum displacement from rest position
Period
Time it take for one complete cycle to pass a point
Longitudinal
Moves parallel to direction of wave
Wave speed
How fast a wave moves through a medium
Electromagnetic spectrum
EM waves can be classified by their wavelength and how much energy they have.
Visible light
The portion of the EM spectrum that humans can see
Law of reflection
When a light ray reflects off a surface, the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.
Plane mirror
A flat, smooth surface from which light is reflected by specular reflection.
Object
Source of light rays that are reflected by a mirrored surface.
Image
Reproduction of the object that appears because of light rays reflected by a mirrored surface.
Position
Distance of the image from the mirror
