Waves

Front

What are mechanical waves?

Back

Mechanical waves are waves that require a medium (solid, liquid, or gas) to travel through.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-5

Front

What is the main characteristic of mechanical waves?

Back

Mechanical waves transfer energy but do not transfer matter.

Front

What is a transverse wave?

Back

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

Front

What is amplitude in a wave?

Back

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

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-1

Front

How does amplitude affect energy in a wave?

Back

As the amplitude of a wave increases, the energy carried by the wave also increases.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-1

Front

What is wavelength?

Back

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

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-1

Front

What is frequency in the context of waves?

Back

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

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-1

Front

What is the relationship between frequency and wavelength?

Back

Frequency and wavelength are inversely related; as frequency increases, wavelength decreases.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-1

Front

What is a wave's speed?

Back

Wave speed is the distance a wave travels in a given amount of time, calculated as speed = wavelength × frequency.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-1