Waves Lessons and Notes

Intro to Waves

Use this lesson to review the

Intro to Waves Notes

What is a wave?

Rhythmic disturbances that carry energy without carrying matter

Types of Waves

• Mechanical Waves

• Electromagnetic Waves

Multiple Select

Select the 2 types of waves.

• mechanical waves

• moon waves

• happy waves

• hand waves

• electromagnetic waves

Mechanical Waves

• need matter (or medium) to transfer energy

• A medium is the substance through which a wave can travel. 

• Examples of MEDIUMS: Air; water; particles; strings; solids; liquids; gases

Multiple Choice

What is a medium?

• the different materials or supplies that an artist utilizes in order to create a work of art

• something that is in a middle position

• the thing by which or through which something is done

• the substance through which a wave can travel

• the substance in which something lives or acts

Electromagnetic Waves

• DO NOT NEED matter (or medium) to transfer energy

• •They do not need a medium, but they can go through matter (medium), such as air, water, and glass

Multiple Choice

What is a mechanical wave?

• a wave that DOES NOT NEED matter (or medium) to transfer energy

• a wave that needs matter (or medium) to transfer energy

Fill in the Blank

A(n) ____________ wave DOES NOT NEED matter (or medium) to transfer energy

Examples of Mechanical Waves

• Sound Waves

• Ocean Waves

• Ripples in Water

• Earthquakes

• Wave of people at a sporting event

Multiple Select

Which of the following is NOT an example of a mechanical wave?

• Sound Wave

• Ocean Waves

• Light Waves

• Earthquakes

Poll

If waves transfer energy, which type of mechanical wave do you think transfers the most energy?

• Sound Waves

• Ocean Waves

• Earthquakes

• Ripples in Water

Transverse Waves

• Energy causes the matter in the medium to move up and down or back and forth at right angles to the direction the wave travels.

• The crest is the highest point on a wave. 

• The trough is the valley between two waves, is the lowest point.

Multiple Choice

The highest point of a transverse wave is called a _________________ .

• crest

• trough

• wavelength

• amplitude

Fill in the Blank

A _______ is the lowest point of a transverse wave.

Parts of a Transverse Wave

• The wavelength is the horizontal distance, either between the crests or troughs of two consecutive waves. 

  
  

• The amplitude is the peak (greatest) value (either positive or negative) of a wave. The distance from the undisturbed level to the trough or crest.

  
  

Multiple Choice

The __________ is the peak (greatest) value (either positive or negative) of a wave. The distance from the undisturbed level to the trough or crest.

• amplitude

• crest

• trough

• wavelength

Longitudinal Waves

• •A mechanical wave in which matter in the medium moves forward and backward along the same direction that the wave travels.

• Example: Sound Waves

• Also called "compressional" waves

Parts of a Longitudinal Wave

• The compression is the part of the compressional wave where the particles are crowded together

• The rarefaction is the part of the compressional wave where the particles are spread apart. 

• The wavelength is the distance from compression to compression or rarefaction to rarefaction in a compressional wave. 

  
  

Multiple Select

Which of the following is NOT a part of a longitudinal wave?

• trough

• rarefaction

• crest

• compression

• nucleus

Electromagnetic Waves

• Waves that DO NOT NEED matter

  (medium) to transfer energy

  
  

• Electromagnetic waves are considered transverse waves because they have similar characteristics; therefore, they have the same parts.

  
  

Examples of Electromagnetic Waves

• gamma rays

• TV

• radio waves

• x-rays

• microwaves

• visible light

• infrared rays

Multiple Choice

True or False: Electromagnetic (EM) Waves DO NOT need matter/medium to transfer energy.

• True

• False

Multiple Select

Which of the following is NOT an example of an EM wave?

• light wave

• sound waves

• ocean waves

• radio waves

• x-rays

Multiple Choice

True or False: Electromagnetic waves are considered transverse waves because they have similar characteristics.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

True or False: Electromagnetic waves are considered transverse waves because they have similar characteristics.

• True

• False