Waves Vocabulary Flashcards
The number of waves that pass a given point in a set period of time
Frequency
Time for a complete cycle to pass a given point
Period
The distance from crest to crest or trough to trough in a wave
Wavelength
the highest point or peak of a wave
Crest
the lowest point or valley of a wave
Trough
Th distance from the resting point to the crest of the wave
Amplitude
a wave in which the energy travels in the same direction of the disturbance
Longitudinal wave
A wave that does not need a medium to travel through
Electromagnetic spectrum
A wave in which energy travels perpendicular to the direction of the substance
Transverse wave
the reduction of an item’s density, the opposite of compression. Like compression, which can travel in waves (sound waves, for instance), rarefaction waves also exist in nature.
Rarefraction
the throwing back by a body or surface of light, heat, or sound without absorbing it.
Reflection
the change in direction of wave propagation due to a change in its transmission medium.
Refraction
refers to various phenomena that occur when a wave encounters an obstacle or a slit.
Diffraction
Matter through which a mechanical wave travels
Medium
The transfer of energy without transferring matter
Wave
