Waves Flashcards
Types and Properties of Waves
A range of light waves - some visible and some invisible.
electromagnetic spectrum
A wave that MUST travel through a medium.
mechanical
A wave that vibrates matter perpendicular to the wave direction.
transverse
A wave that vibrates matter parallel to the wave direction.
longitudinal
The highest point on a transverse wave.
crest
The lowest point on a transverse wave.
trough
The distance between two consecutive crests.
wavelength
The number of waves that pass a certain point in one second.
frequency
The distance from the rest position to the crest (or trough) of a wave. The “height” of the wave.
amplitude
The part of a longitudinal wave that is close together.
compression
The part of a longitudinal wave that is spread apart.
rarefaction
Another name for an earthquake wave.
seismic
