Waves and sound Flashcards
Wave
a disturbance that transmits energy through matter or space
Sound
transmitted by mechanical longitudinal waves
medium
a substance through which a wave can travel
pitch
how low or high you perceive a sound to be
pitch si unit
there is no si unit for pitch
frequency si unit
hertz
frequency
the number of waves produced in a given period of time
infrasonic
frequency’s lower than 20Hz
ultrasonic
frequencies higher than 20,000Hz
Doppler effect
the apparent change in the frequency of a sound which is caused by the motion of the listener or the source of the sound
loudness
how loud or soft sound is perceived to be
loudness si unit
decibels
ultrasonography
uses echos to “see” inside a patients body without performing surgery
interference
the result of 2 or more waves overlapping
constructive interference
when compressions of one wave overlap with the compressions of another wave the amplitude will be greater and the sound will be louder
deconstructive interference
when the compressions of one wave overlap with the rarefaction of another wave the amplitude will be less and the sound will be more soft
resonance
when an object vibrates at or near a resonant frequency of a second object causing the second object to vibrate
amplitude
the amount of energy in a wave
amplitude si unit
amplitude has no si unit
wavelength
the distance between any two adjacent crests or compressions
longitudinal
the particles vibrate along the same path the wave is traveling
rarefaction
the area in the spring demonstrating with the loose area
compression
the area in the spring demonstration with the dense area
crest
the highest point on a wave
trough
the lowest point between two crests
mechanical wave
a wave in which the particles of the waves medium vibrate perpendicular to the direction the wave is traveling
electromagnetic wave
waves which do not require a medium.
sonar
uses reflected sound waves to locate underwater targets
