Waves Vocabulary Flashcards
Frequency
the number of cycles a wave completes in a period of time; the number of times something happens in a period of time
Period
A length or portion of time
Wave-length
the distance between one peak and the next on a wave.
Crest
the highest point of a wave.
Medium
the intervening substance through which impressions are conveyed to the senses or a force acts on objects at a distance.
Amplitude
height or “strength” of a wave
Longitudinal wave
a wave that vibrates in the same direction as it travels; also called a compression wave
Electromagnetic wave
DescriptionIn physics, electromagnetic radiation refers to the waves of the electromagnetic field, propagating through space, carrying electromagnetic radiant energy. It includes radio waves, microwaves, infrared, light, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays.
Transverse wave
a wave vibrating at right angles to the direction of its propagation.
Compression
A
Rarefaction
A
Reflection
to strike a surface and bounce back in the opposite direction (related word: reflection)
Refraction
A
Diffraction
A
