8 - Mechanical Waves Vocab 1

Front

What is a mechanical wave?

Back

A wave in which particles of matter move back and forth.

Front

What is a transverse wave?

Back

A wave in which the matter moves in a pattern perpendicular to the direction that the wave travels.

Front

What is a wave pulse?

Back

A wave made of a single disturbance that does not repeat.

Front

What is the medium in the context of mechanical waves?

Back

The matter that a mechanical wave travels through.

Front

What is a wave cycle?

Back

One complete motion of the repeating pattern of a wave.

Front

What is a longitudinal wave?

Back

A wave in which the matter moves parallel to the direction that the wave travels.

Front

What is wavelength?

Back

The distance between two consecutive points that are in phase on a wave.

Front

What is wave speed?

Back

The speed at which a wave travels through a medium.

Front

What is the difference between a wave and a wave pulse?

Back

A wave is a continuous disturbance, while a wave pulse is a single disturbance.

Front

What are surface waves?

Back

Waves that travel along the surface of a medium, exhibiting both longitudinal and transverse motion.