Wave Vocabulary Flashcards
Frequency
the number of cycles a wave completes in a period of time; the number of times something happens in a period of time
Period
A time period is the time needed for one complete cycle of vibration to pass in a given point. As the frequency of a wave increases, the time period of the wave decreases. The unit for time period is ‘seconds’.
Wavelength
the distance between one peak and the next on a wave
Crest
the highest point of a wave
Trough
A trough is the opposite of a crest, so the minimum or lowest point in a cycle.
Medium
In the case of a water wave in the ocean, the medium through which the wave travels is the ocean water. In the case of a sound wave moving from the church choir to the pews, the medium through which the sound wave travels is the air in the room.
Amplitude
height or “strength” of a wave
Longitude wave
a wave that vibrates in the same direction as it travels; also called a compression wave
Transverse wave
a wave vibrating at right angles to the direction of its propagation.
Comprehension
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Rare fraction
Rarefaction is the reduction of an item’s density, the opposite of compression. Like compression, which can travel in waves (sound waves, for instance), rarefaction waves also exist in nature. A common rarefaction wave is the area of low relative pressure following a shock wave
Reflection
to strike a surface and bounce back in the opposite direction (related word: reflection)
Refraction
In physics refraction is the change in direction of a wave passing from one medium to another or from a gradual change in the medium. Refraction of light is the most commonly observed phenomenon, but other waves such as sound waves and water waves also experience refraction.
Diffraction
DescriptionDiffraction refers to various phenomena that occur when a wave encounters an obstacle or a slit. It is defined as the bending of waves around the corners of an obstacle or aperture into the region of geometrical shadow of the obstacle
