Transverse Waves

Front

Wave Noun

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[wayv]

Back

Wave

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A disturbance that transfers energy from one point to another through a medium or space without transferring matter.

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Example: This diagram shows a transverse wave, labeling its key parts: the highest point (crest), lowest point (trough), height from the center (amplitude), and distance between crests (wavelength).

Front

Vibration Noun

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[vy-bray-shun]

Back

Vibration

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A rapid back-and-forth or oscillating motion around an equilibrium position, which is the source of all waves.

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Example: Moving a spring up and down is a vibration that creates a transverse wave, where energy travels along the spring away from the hand.

Front

Medium Noun

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[mee-dee-um]

Back

Medium

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The substance or matter, such as a solid, liquid, or gas, through which a mechanical wave can travel.

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Example: This image shows that a medium is made of particles. For a transverse wave (top), the particles of the medium move up and down, perpendicular to the wave's direction.

Front

Mechanical Wave Noun

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[muh-kan-i-kuhl wayv]

Back

Mechanical Wave

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A wave that requires a physical medium, like solid, liquid, or gas, to propagate and transfer its energy.

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Example: This diagram shows the shape of a transverse wave, labeling its highest point (crest), lowest point (trough), height (amplitude), and length (wavelength).

Front

Electromagnetic Wave Noun

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[ih-lek-troh-mag-net-ik wayv]

Back

Electromagnetic Wave

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A wave of oscillating electric and magnetic fields that can travel through a vacuum and does not require a medium.

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Example: This diagram shows the electromagnetic spectrum, a range of transverse waves with different wavelengths, from high-energy gamma rays to low-energy radio waves.

Front

Vacuum Noun

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[vak-yoom]

Back

Vacuum

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A space that is completely empty of matter, through which electromagnetic waves can travel but mechanical waves cannot.

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Example: This diagram shows that transverse waves, like radiation from the sun, can travel through the vacuum of space to reach Earth.

Front

Transverse Wave Noun

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[trans-vurs wayv]

Back

Transverse Wave

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A wave in which the particles of the medium oscillate perpendicular to the direction of the wave's energy transfer.

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Example: This diagram shows a transverse wave, labeling its highest point (peak), lowest point (trough), maximum displacement from the center (amplitude), and length of one cycle (wavelength).

Front

Longitudinal Wave Noun

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[lon-ji-too-di-nuhl wayv]

Back

Longitudinal Wave

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A wave in which the particles of the medium oscillate parallel to the direction of the wave's energy transfer.

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Example: This diagram shows a longitudinal wave, where a particle (red dot) moves back and forth, parallel to the direction the wave's energy is traveling.

Front

Crest Noun

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[krest]

Back

Crest

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The point on a transverse wave that exhibits the maximum amount of positive or upward displacement from the rest position.

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Example: This diagram shows a transverse wave, and the label 'crest' points directly to the highest point of the wave.

Front

Trough Noun

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[trof]

Back

Trough

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The point on a transverse wave that exhibits the maximum amount of negative or downward displacement from the rest position.

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Example: This diagram of a transverse wave uses arrows to point out the troughs, which are the lowest points of the wave's vibration.