Waves Flashcards
Frequency
The number of cycles a wave completes in a period of time
Period
The time needed for a wave to complete one cycle of vibrations
Wavelength
The distance between one peak and the next on a wave
Crest
The highest point of a wave
Trough
The lowest point of a wave
Medium
The matter that a mechanical wave needs to travel through
Amplitude
The distance from resting point to crest
Longitudinal wave
A wave that with the energy in the same direction as the disturbance
Electromagnetic spectrum
The range of electromagnetic waves
Transverse wave
The energy is perpendicular to the disturbance
Compression
In a longitudinal wave, where the particles are closer together
Rarefaction
In a longitudinal wave, where the particles are farther apart
Reflection
A wave bounces off a surface and goes in the opposite direction
Refraction
The change of the direction of a wave due to passing though an object
Diffraction
The wave spreads out
