| A | B |
|---|
| amplitude | for a transverse wave, one half the distance between a crest and a trough |
| compressional wave | a type of mechanical wave in which matter in the medium moves forward and backward along the direction the wave travels |
| diffraction | bending of waves around a barrier |
| electromagnetic wave | waves that can travel through matter or space |
| frequency | number of wavelengths that pass a given point in one second |
| interference | occurs when two or waves combine and form a new wave when they overlap |
| mechanical wave | a type of wave that can only travel through matter |
| reflection | occurs when a wave strikes an object or surface and bounces off |
| refraction | bending of a wave as it moves from one medium into another medium |
| transverse wave | a type of mechanical wave in which the wave energy causes matter in the medium to move up and down |
| wave | rhythmic disturbance that carries energy but not matter |
| wavelength | for a transverse wave, the distance between the tops of two adjacent crests or the bottoms of two adjacent troughs |
