Vocab Waves Flashcards
Frequency
The number of cycles a wave completes in a period of time
Wavelength
The distance between one peak and the next on a wave
Crest
The highest point of a wave
Amplitude
Height or “strength” of a wave
Longitudinal wave
A wave that vibrates in the same direction as it travels; also called a compression wave
Period
A division of geological time that is a subdivision of a era and is itself subdivided into epochs
Trough
The lowest point of a wave
Electromagnetic spectrum
A continuous sequence of electromagnetic radiations arranged according to its frequencies or wavelengths
Transverse waves
Produced when the displacement of the medium is perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the wave
Compression
A type of stress that causes deformation
Rarefaction
Waves in which the motion of the individual particles of the medium is in a direction that is parallel to the direction of energy transport
Reflection
When light is reflected, the angle at which the wave is incident on the smooth surface equals the angle at which it is reflected
Refraction
Waves are refracted when they pass from one material to another with different properties. When light passes from air to water or from air to glass, it is refracte.
