Wave Vocabulary

Question 1

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

Answer 1

Wave

Question 2

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

Answer 2

Mechanical Wave

Question 3

A wave in which the disturbance moves at right angles to the direction of the wave

Answer 3

Transverse Wave

Question 4

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

Answer 4

Longitudinal Wave

Question 5

The highest point or peak of a wave

Answer 5

Crest

Question 6

The lowest point or valley of a wave

Answer 6

Trough

Question 7

The maximum distance that a disturbance causes a medium to move from its rest position

Answer 7

Amplitude

Question 8

The distance from one crest to the next wave crest

Answer 8

Wavelength

Question 9

The number of waves that pass a fixed point in a given period of time

Answer 9

Frequency

Question 10

The bouncing back of a wave after it hits its barrier

Answer 10

Reflection

Question 11

The bending of light as it crosses a boundary between two mediums at an angle other than 90 degrees

Answer 11

Rarefraction

Question 12

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

Answer 12

Diffraction

Question 13

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

Answer 13

Interference

Question 14

The range of all electromagnetic frequencies

Answer 14

Electromagnetic Spectrum

Question 15

Energy that travels across distances in the form of electromagnetic waves

Answer 15

Radiation

Question 16

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

Answer 16

Electromagnetic Wave

Question 17

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

Answer 17

Radio Wave

Question 18

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

Answer 18

Microwave

Question 19

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

Answer 19

Infrared Light

Question 20

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

Answer 20

Ultraviolet Light

Question 21

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

Answer 21

X-Rays

Question 22

Part of the electromagnetic spectrum that consists of waves with the highest frequencies

Answer 22

Gamma Rays

Question 23

The passage of waves through a medium

Answer 23

Transmission

Question 24

The disappearance of a wave into a medium. The energy transferred by a wave is converted into another form of energy

Answer 24

Absorption

Question 25

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

Answer 25

Scattering

Question 26

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

Answer 26

Polarization

Question 27

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

Answer 27

Prism

Question 28

The colors of light (red, yellow, and blue) that can be mixed to produce all possible colors

Answer 28

Primary Colors

Question 29

The color of substance (cyan, yellow, magenta) that can be mixed to produce any possible colors

Answer 29

Primary Pigment

Question 30

A substance through which a wave moves

Answer 30

Medium