Waves Basics

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

The two main types of waves are mechanical waves and electromagnetic waves.

Front

What is a mechanical wave?

Back

A mechanical wave is a wave that requires a medium (solid, liquid, or gas) to travel through.

Front

What is an electromagnetic wave?

Back

An electromagnetic wave is a wave that can travel through a vacuum and does not require a medium.

Front

What is a transverse wave?

Back

A transverse wave is a wave in which the motion of the medium is perpendicular to the direction of the wave.

Front

What is a longitudinal wave?

Back

A longitudinal wave is a wave in which the motion of the medium is parallel to the direction of the wave.

Front

What are compressions in a longitudinal wave?

Back

Compressions are areas in a longitudinal wave where particles are close together, representing high energy.

Front

What are rarefactions in a longitudinal wave?

Back

Rarefactions are areas in a longitudinal wave where particles are spread apart, representing low energy.

Front

What is the wavelength of a wave?

Back

The wavelength is 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 frequency in relation to waves?

Back

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