Waves Flashcards
Medium
Material through which a wave travels
Wave
A disturbance that transfers energy from one place to another.
Longitudinal wave
Particles move back and forth in the same direction that the wave travels,or parallel to the wave.
Transverse wave
Particles move perpendicularly to the direction the wave travels.
Mechanical waves
Waves that require a medium.
Electromagnetic waves
Disturbances in electric and magnetic fields
Amplitude
Measure of how far particles in the medium move away from their normal rest position.
Wavelength
Distance over which the waves shape repeats.
Wave period
Time required for one cycle.
Frequency
How many cycles occur in an amount of time,most commonly 1’s.
Hertz
One hertz is equal to one cycle per second.
Wavefronts
The peaks that can be drawn as shapes, such as circles or spheres
Wave speed
The speed at which a wave travels.
Radiation
The transfer of energy as EM waves
Electromagnetic spectrum
Visible light represents only a very small part of the range of frequencies
Infrared
Slightly longer wave lengths than red light.
Ultraviolet
Slightly shorter wave lengths than violet light.
Transparent
Matter that limits light
Translucent
Materials that limit but do not let the light travel straight through.
Opaque
Materials that do not let any light pass through them.
Absorption
Transfer of light energy to matter.
Reflection
The bouncing
Refraction
Change in direction of a wave as it passes from one medium into another at an angle.
Scattering
When light is sent in many directions as it passes through a medium.
A disturbance that transfers energy from one place to another
Wave
Material through which a wave travels
Medium
Particles move back and forth on the same direction that the wave travels or parallel to the wave.
Longitudinal wave
Particles move perpendicularly to the direction the wave travels
Transverse wave
Waves that require a medium.
Mechanical wave
Disturbances in electric and magnetic fields
Electromagnetic waves
Measure of how far particles in the medium move away from their normal rest position.
Amplitude
Distance over which the waves shape repeats
Wavelength
Time required for one cycle
Wave period
How many cycles occur in an amount of time, most commonly 1’s
Frequency
One is equal to one cycle per second
Hertz
Peaks that can be drawn as shapes such as circles or spheres
Wavefronts
The speed at which a wave travels
Wave speed
Transfer of energy as EM waves
Radiation
Visible light that represents only a very small part of the range of frequencies that an EM wave can have
Electromagnetic spectrum
Slightly longer wavelengths than a red light
Infrared
Slightly shorter wavelengths than violet light
Ultraviolet
Matter that limits light
Transparent
Materials that transmit light but do not let the light travel straight through
Translucent
Materials that do not let any light pass through them
Opaque
Transfer of light energy to matter
Absorption
The bouncing of light off a surface
Reflection
Change in direction of a wave as it passes from one medium to another at an angle
Refraction
When light is sent in many directions as it passes through a medium
Scattering