Waves Vocabulary Flashcards
Wave
a disturbance caused by a vibration; Waves travel away from the source that makes them.
Crest
the highest point of a wave
Trough
the lowest point of a wave
Amplitude
height or “strength” of a wave
Frequency
the number of cycles a wave completes in a period of time; the number of times something happens in a period of time
Wavelength
the distance between one peak and the next on a wave
Period
a length of time
transverse waves
a wave that occurs when the particles of a medium are displaced perpendicularly to the direction of the wave
electromagnetic waves
a mode of energy transmission involving oscillating electrical and magnetic fields, that may travel through matter or a vacuum
longitude wave
a wave that occurs when the particles of a medium move parallel to the direction of the wave
compression
occurs when rocks are squeezed by external forces directed toward one another to put stress on the rock, acting to decrease its volume or shorten its dimensions
rarefaction
area of decreased pressure following compression as a longitudinal wave propagates
reflection
a change in the direction of a wave when it hits a barrier and bounces back
refraction
a change in the direction and velocity which occurs when a seismic or electromagnetic wave travels from one material into another of different density, state, or elasticity
diffraction
the curvature of the waves of light or sound around obstacles that are in their way
