Wave Properties and Behavior

Front

What do you call the substance that the wave can travel through?

Back

Medium: The material or substance through which a wave travels, such as air, water, or solid materials.

Front

What is the high point on a transverse wave called?

Back

Crest: The highest point of a wave, where the wave reaches its maximum displacement.

Front

Which color of light has the longest wavelength?

Back

Red: Among visible light, red light has the longest wavelength, making it less energetic than other colors.

Front

What is the low point on a transverse wave?

Back

Trough: The lowest point of a wave, where the wave reaches its minimum displacement.

Front

As the wavelength increases, what happens to the frequency?

Back

Decreases: When the wavelength of a wave increases, its frequency decreases, meaning fewer wave cycles occur in a given time.

Front

What is the distance between two consecutive crests or troughs in a wave called?

Back

Wavelength: The distance between two successive points of a wave that are in phase, such as crest to crest or trough to trough.

Front

What is the measure of the height of a wave from its rest position to its crest?

Back

Amplitude: The maximum extent of a wave's displacement from its rest position, indicating the energy of the wave.

Front

What type of wave requires a medium to travel through?

Back

Mechanical Wave: A wave that requires a physical medium (solid, liquid, or gas) to propagate, such as sound waves.

Front

What is the term for the bending of waves as they pass from one medium to another?

Back

Refraction: The change in direction of a wave as it passes from one medium to another due to a change in speed.

Front

What is the term for the spreading out of waves after they pass through a narrow opening?

Back

Diffraction: The bending and spreading of waves around obstacles and openings.