Waves: Color and Music Flashcards
Wave
A transfer of energy; Matter is not transported
Mechanical wave
Wave that travels only through matter
Electromagnetic wave
Wave that can travel through empty space or matter
Transverse Wave
Wave in which the disturbance is perpendicular to the direction the wave travels
Longitudinal
Wave that makes the particles of a medium move back and forth parallel to the direction the wave travels
Combination
Both transverse and longitudinal
Water waves
Travels through water; water particles move in circles; combination
Seismic waves
Movement of earths crust that causes waves
P waves
Seismic wave; longitudinal
S waves
Seismic wave; transverse
Surface waves
Seismic wave; combination
Wavelength
Distance between one crest to another; shorter wavelength = higher frequency
Frequency
Number of wavelegths that pass a point each second; measured in hertz (Hz); one Hz = one wave per second
Crest
Top of a wave
Trough
Bottom of wave
Amplitude
Maximum distance a wave varies from its rest position; how tall a wave is; smaller amplitude = lower energy, larger amplitude = higher energy
Transmission
Carrying of energy using waves
Absorption
Absorbing of energy carried by a wave into an object; is transformed into a different form of energy
Reflection
Bouncing back of energy carried by a wave; always less than the transmission due to absorption
Law of reflection
When a ray of light hits a surface, it will reflect off the surface at the same angle as it hit the surface
Incident wave
light wave that approaches a surface
Reflected wave
wave that bounces off a surface after hitting it
Normal
Area perpendicular to the surface at the point the wave hits it
Refraction
The change in direction of a wave as it changes speed, moving from one medium to another