Waves Vocabulary Flashcards
1
Q
- Medium
A
- Is any substance that a wave moves through.
2
Q
- Mechanical wave
A
- Waves that transfer energy through matter.
3
Q
- Transverse wave
A
- The direction in which the wave travels is perpendicular, or at right angles, to the direction of the disturbance.
4
Q
- Longitudinal wave
A
- The wave travels in the same direction as the disturbance.
5
Q
- Crest
A
- A crest is the highest point, or peak of a wave.
6
Q
- Trough
A
- A trough is the lowest point, or valley of a wave.
7
Q
- Amplitude
A
- For a transverse wave is the distance between a line through the middle of a wave and a crest or trough.
8
Q
- Wavelength
A
- The distance from one wave crest to the very next crest.
9
Q
- Frequency
A
The number of waves passing a fixed point in a certain amount of time.
10
Q
- Reflection
A
- The bouncing back of a wave after it strikes a barrier.
11
Q
- Refraction
A
- Refraction is the bending of a wave as it enters a new medium at an angle other than 90 degrees.
12
Q
- Diffraction
A
- Diffraction is the spreading out of waves through an opening or around the edge of an obstacle.
13
Q
- Interference
A
- Interference is the meeting and combining of waves.
14
Q
- Transmission
A
- Transmission is the passage of an EM wave through a medium.
15
Q
- Absorption
A
- Absorption is the disappearance of an EM wave into a medium.
16
Q
- Scattering
A
- Scattering is the spreading out of light rays in all directions, because particles reflect and absorb the light.
17
Q
- Polarization
A
- Polarization is a quality of light in which all of its waves vibrate in the same direction.
18
Q
- Prism
A
- A prism is a tool that uses refraction to spread out the different wavelengths that make up white light.
19
Q
- Primary colors
A
- These three colors of light, which can be mixed to produce all possible colors.
20
Q
- Primary pigments
A
- The primary pigments are cyan, yellow, and magenta.
21
Q
- Electromagnetic spectrum
A
- The range of all EM frequencies.
22
Q
- Radio waves
A
- Radio waves are EM waves that have the longest wavelengths, the lowest frequencies, and the lowest energies.
23
Q
- Microwaves
A
- Microwaves are EM waves with shorter wavelengths, higher frequencies,and higher energy than other radio waves.
24
Q
- Visible light
A
- Visible light is the part of the EM spectrum that human eyes can see.
25
26. Infrared light
26. The infrared light part of the spectrum consists of EM frequencies between microwaves and visible light.
26
27. Ultraviolet
27. The ultraviolet light part of the EM spectrum consists of frequencies above those of visible light and partially below those of x-rays.
27
28. X-Rays
28. X-Rays have frequencies from about 1016 Hz to 1021 Hz.
28
29. Gamma Rays
29. Gamma rays have frequencies from about 1019 Hz to more than 1024 Hz.
29
1. Wave
1. A wave is a disturbance that transfers energy from one place to another.
