Properties of Waves Flashcards
What is a wave?
Waves are a travelling disturbance that transport energy from one location to another without transporting matter.
What is a electromagnetic wave?
Electromagnetic waves are the only waves that can travel through a vacuum.(empty space)
What are mechanical waves?
A mechanical wave can travel large distances, but the individual particles in the medium never move far from their original positions.
What is a transverse wave?
In a transverse wave, the particles in the medium vibrate perpendicular to the direction the wave is travelling.
What is a longitudinal wave?
A longitudinal wave is a wave where the particles in the medium vibrate parallel to the direction the wave is travelling.
As the wave travels it creates regions of high pressure (compression) and low pressure (rarefaction) in the medium.
