Waves glossary

Front

A disturbance that transfers energy without transferring matter.

Back

Wave

Front

Waves that need a medium to pass through.

Back

Mechanical wave

Front

Waves that do not need a medium to pass through.

Back

Electromagnetic wave

Front

A wave in which the particles travel at right angles to the direction of propagation of the wave.

Back

Transverse wave

Front

A wave in which the particles travel in the same or opposite direction to the propagation of the wave.

Back

Longitudinal wave

Front

A type of electromagnetic wave that can travel through a vacuum.

Back

Light wave

Front

Where there are no particles or very few particles that are spaced very far apart. Outer space is an example.

Back

Vacuum

Front

Anything natural or manmade that is made up of particles e.g. air, water, brick, concrete.

Back

Medium

Front

An example of a longitudinal wave that has compressions and rarefactions.

Back

Sound wave

Front

A portion of a longitudinal wave where particles are closer together and therefore have a higher pressure.

Back

Compression