Parts of a Wave

Front

What is a wave?

Back

A wave is a disturbance that transfers energy from one place to another without transferring matter.

Front

What are the two main types of waves?

Back

Transverse waves and longitudinal waves.

Front

What is a transverse wave?

Back

A wave in which the particles of the medium move perpendicular to the direction of the wave's travel.

Front

What is a longitudinal wave?

Back

A wave in which the particles of the medium move parallel to the direction of the wave's travel.

Front

What is wavelength?

Back

The distance between two consecutive points that are in phase on a wave, such as crest to crest or trough to trough.

Front

What is amplitude?

Back

The maximum distance that the particles of a medium move from their rest position when a wave passes through.

Front

What is compression in a wave?

Back

The part of a longitudinal wave where the particles are close together.

Front

What is rarefaction in a wave?

Back

The part of a longitudinal wave where the particles are spread apart.

Front

What is frequency?

Back

The number of waves that pass a given point in one second, measured in Hertz (Hz).

Front

What is the relationship between wavelength and frequency?

Back

As the wavelength increases, the frequency decreases, and vice versa, for a given wave speed.