Intro to Waves

Question 1

Two types of waves

Answer 1

Mechanical waves are the manifestation of energy as it travels through a
medium

	Ex. waves on a body of water, earthquake waves

Electromagnetic waves are waves that do not need a medium to  propagate

	Ex. radio waves, light

Question 2

What is a Medium

Answer 2

A medium is the substance or material that carries the wave.
The presence of a medium distinguishes mechanical from electromagnetic waves

Question 3

Does the Medium change postions

Answer 3

When a wave propagates through a medium, the particles in the medium do not change their overall position

The particles move up and down or side to side, but they always return to  their original position after the wave passes

no

Question 4

Transverse waves

Answer 4

transverse waves are waves where the particles move perpendicular to the direction the wave is traveling

Crests are the top peaks while troughs are the bottom peaks

Question 5

Longitudinal waves

Answer 5

involve the particles vibrating parallel to the direction the wave is traveling.
slinky

A compression is when the particles of the medium the wave is propagating
through crowd together

Rarefactions are areas where the particles spread further apart