| A | B |
|---|
| Waves | Rhythmic disturbances that carry energy through matter or space. |
| Transverse wave | Medium moves at right angles to the direction that the wave energy travels; does NOT have to have a medium (looks like the letter "s"). |
| Crest | Highest point on a transverse wave. |
| Trough | Lowest point on a transverse wave. |
| Wavelength | Length of one completed cycle on a wave (distance between any 2 identical points on adjacent waves).. |
| Amplitude of a transverse wave | Distance from crest (or trough) to the rest position of the medium. |
| Tsunami | Giant tidal waves caused by oceanic earthquakes. |
| Frequency | Number of waves that pass one place each second. |
| Velocity | How fast the wave is traveling forward; constand in any medium; does NOT depend on frequency or wavelength.. |
| Longitudinal wave | Medium oscillates in the same direction as the wave energy; MUST have a medium (looks like a slinky).. |
| Plane waves | Crests that look like straight lines. |
| Circular waves | Crests are circles. |
| Reflection | Occurs when a wave strikes an object and bounces off. |
| Amplitude of a longitudinal wave | Amount of compression; greater compression equals greater amplitude. |
| Compressional wave | Another name for a longitudinal wave. |
| Medium | A material through which a wave travels and transfers energy; can be any state of matter. |
| Sound | An example of a longitudinal wave; travels at 344 m/s near Earth's surface. |
| Light | An example of a transverse wave; travels at 300,000,000 m/s. |
| Compression | Dense area of a longitudinal wave; caused by pressure. |
| Rarefaction | Expanded, less dense area of a longitudinal wave. |
| Refraction | Occurs when a wave crosses a boundary and actually passes through the new obstacle (medium); "bending" of wave due to change in speed. |
| Diffraction | Occurs when a wave bends around an obstacle OR passes through small opening in the obstacle. |
| Absorption | When the wave energy disappears within the body of a material. |
| Constructive interference | When 2 waves meet "in-phase" and their amplitudes sum. |
| Destructive interference | When 2 waves meet "out-of-phase" and their amplitudes subtract. |
| Natural frequency | Frequency at which a system oscillates when disturbed. |
| Resonance | Occurs when an oscillating force exactly equals the natural frequency or a multiple of it. |
| Standing wave | Wave trapped in one place. |
| Antinode | Area of greatest amplitude on a standing wave. |
| Node | Point on a standing wave where the wave is not moving; caused by destructive interference. |
| Fundamental | The first harmonic. |
| Harmonics | Frequencies that are multiples of the fundamental. |
| Interference | Ability of 2 or more waves to combine and form a new wave. |
