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.
