Finals - Vocabulary Flashcards
is a disturbance that transfers energy from one place to another
wave
is any substance that a wave moves through
medium
waves that transfer energy through matter
mechanical waves
the direction in which the wave travels is perpendicular, or at right angles, to the direction of the disturbance
transverse waves
the wave travels in the same direction as the disturbance
longitudinal waves
the highest point, or peak, of a wave
crest
is the lowest point, or valley, of a wave
trough
is the passage of an EM wave through a medium
transmission
is the disappearance of an EM wave into the medium
absorption
distance from crest to the next crest, or trough to the next trough
wavelength
the number of waves passing a fixed point in a certain amount of time
frequency
the bouncing back of a wave after it strikes a barrier
reflection
is the bending of a wave as it enters a new medium at an angle other than 90 degrees
refraction
is the spreading out of waves through an opening or around the edge of an obstacle
diffraction
the range of all EM frequencies
electromagnetic spectrum
the part of the electromagnetic spectrum that consists of waves of the lowest frequencies
radio waves
is the part of the EM spectrum that human eyes can see
visible light
the act of noting and recording an event, characteristic or anything detected
observing
the process of collecting evidence
investigation
a tentative explanation for an observation or phenomenon: an if…then…statement
hypothesis
the end of a scientific problem or investigation
conclusion
a test, trial or tentative procedure: an act or operation for the purpose of discovering something unknown
experiment
what you are trying to solve in a scientific investigation
problem
to answer a scientific problem or investigation
solution
