| A | B |
|---|
| Amplitude | height of crest or trough |
| Wavelength | distance from crest to crest or compression to compression |
| Frequency | number of waves passing point in amount of time |
| Hertz | unit for frequency |
| Hz | abbreviation for Hertz |
| Speed | how far a wave travels in one unit of time |
| Formula for Speed | Wavelength x Frequency |
| Reflection | Wave hits something and bounces back |
| Example of Reflection | Echo in canyon |
| crest | the highest point from the equilibrium position |
| trough | lowest point from the equilibrium position |
| rarefaction | region of a longitudinal wave where the partcles are spread farther apart |
| compression | region in a longitudinal wave in which the density is at a maximum |
| medium | an environment through which a disturbance can travel |
| amplitude | the maximum displacement from equlibrium |
| rarefaction | Equivalent to the trough in the longitudinal wave |
| period | the time it takes a complete cycle to occur |
| frequency | the number of cycles per unit time |
| longitudinal wave | a wave whose particles vibrate parallel to the direction the wave is traveling |
| transverse wave | a wave whose particles vibrate perpendicularly to the direction the wave is traveling |
| mechanical wave | a type of wave that requires a medium through which to travel |
| constructive interference | a superposition of two or more waves that result in a wave with a larger displacement |
| destructive inteference | a superposition of two or more waves that result in a wave with a smaller displacement |
| standing wave | a wave pattern that appears to be stationary |
| node | a point in a standing wave with zero displacement |
| antinode | a point in a standing wave at which the largest displacement occurs |
