Science Flashcards

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1
Q

Medium

A

A substance through which a wave moves

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2
Q

Mechanical Wave

A

A wave, such as sound wave or seismic wave, that transfers kinetic energy through matter.

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3
Q

Transverse Wave

A

A type of wave in which the disturbance moves at right angles, or perpendicular, to the direction in which the wave travels

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4
Q

Longitudinal Wave

A

A type of wave in which the disturbance moves in the same direction that the wave travels

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5
Q

Crest

A

The highest point, or peak, of a wave

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6
Q

Trough

A

The lowest point, or valley, of a wave

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7
Q

Amplitude

A

The maximum distance that a disturbance causes a medium to move from its rest position; the distance between the crest or trough of a wave and line through the center of the wave

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8
Q

Wavelength

A

The distance from one wave peak or crest to the next peak or crest. It can be measured as the distance from any part of one wave to the identical part of the next wave

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9
Q

Frequency

A

The number of waves that pass a fixed point in a given amount of time, usually one second; the number of cycles per unit time

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10
Q

Reflection

A

The bouncing back of a wave after it strikes a barrier

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11
Q

Refraction

A

The bending of a wave as it crosses the boundary between to mediums at an angle other than 90 degrees

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12
Q

Diffraction

A

The spreading out of waves as they pass through an opening or around the edges of an obstacle

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13
Q

Interference

A

The meeting and combining of waves; the adding or subtracting of wave amplitudes that occurs as waves overlap

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14
Q

Electromagnet Wave

A

A type of wave, such as a light wave or radio wave, that does not require a medium to travel; a disturbance that transfers energy through a field

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15
Q

Radiation

A

Energy that travel across distances in the form of electromagnet waves

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16
Q

Electromagnet Spectrum

A

The range of all electromagnetic frequencies, including the following types (from lowest to highest frequency): radio waves, microwaves, infrared light, visible light, ultraviolet light, x-rays, and gamma rays

17
Q

Radio Waves

A

The part of the electromagnetic spectrum that consists of waves with the lowest frequencies

18
Q

Microwaves

A

Part of the electromagnetic spectrum that consists of waves higher frequencies than radio waves, but lower frequencies than infrared waves

19
Q

Visible Light

A

The part of the electromagnetic spectrum that consists of waves detectable by the human eye

20
Q

Infrared Light

A

Part of the electromagnetic spectrum that consists of waves with frequencies between those of microwaves and visible light

21
Q

Ultraviolet Light

A

The part of the electromagnetic spectrum that consists of waves with lower frequencies higher than those of visible light and lower than those of x-rays

22
Q

X-rays

A

The part of the electromagnetic spectrum that consists of waves with high frequencies and high energies; electromagnetic waves with frequencies ranging from more than 10 16 hertz to more than 10 21 hertz

23
Q

Gamma Rays

A

Part of the electromagnetic spectrum that consists of waves with the highest frequencies; electromagnetic waves with frequencies ranging from more than 10 19 hertz to more than 10 24 hertz

24
Q

Transmission

A

The passage of a wave through a medium

25
Q

Absorption

A

The disappearance of a wave into a medium. When a wave is absorbed, the energy transferred by the wave is converted into another form of energy, usually thermal energy

26
Q

Scattering

A

The spreading out of light rays in all directions as particles reflect and absorb the light

27
Q

Polarization

A

A way of filtering light so that all of the waves vibrant in the same direction

28
Q

Prism

A

An optical tool that uses refraction to separate the different wavelengths that make up white light

29
Q

Primary colors

A

Three colors of light-red, green, and blue-that can be mixed to produce all possible colors

30
Q

Primary Pigments

A

Three colors of substances-cyan, yellow, and magenta-that can be mixed to produce all possible colors

31
Q

Wave

A

A disturbance that transfers energy from one place to another without requiring matter to move the entire distance