Wave&Sound Flashcards
Periodic wave
A moving disturbance that repeats at regular intervals
Pulse
A single one time disturbance
Medium
Material through which a wave travels
Mechanical wave
Wave that must have a medium through which to travel
Electromagnetic wave
moves through space at the speed of light
Transverse waveform
Disturbance moves particles of the medium perpendicular to the direction of the wave
Longitudinal waveform
Disturbance moves particles of the medium parallel to the direction of the wave
Crest
An area of positive displacement in the material of the medium produced by a transverse wave
Trough
An area of negative displacement in the material medium produced by s transverse wave
Compression
An area of higher medium density produced by a longitudinal wave
Rarefraction
An area of lower medium de sort produced by a longitudinal wave
Amplitude
Maximum positive or negative displacement of the material of the medium by a wave
Wavelength
The length of one complete wave
Frequency
How many waves are produced each second
Period
How long the source needs to produce one complete wave in seconds
Rectilinear propagation
Waves moves in a straight line away from the source
Wave speed
How fast the wave moves through the medium
Reflection
Waves bounce off a barrier or boundary
Refraction
A wave will change direction or bends as the wave crosses a boundary
Diffraction
A wave will bend around the edge of a barrier
Interference
Two waves will add displacement when they travel through the same portion of the medium at the same time
Doppler effect
When a source and observer are moving relative to each other but detect different frequencies
Pitch
How high or low we perceive a sound to be
Intensity
The rate at which energy flows through a unit area perpendicular to the direction of wave motion
