waves 4 - facts and definitions

Front

What is a transverse wave?

Back

A wave where the vibration is in a direction perpendicular to the direction the wave is traveling.

Front

What is a longitudinal wave?

Back

A wave where the vibration is in a direction parallel to the direction the wave is traveling.

Front

Does the water in which a tsunami travels move along with the wave itself?

Back

No, the water does not move with the wave; it is the energy that travels.

Front

What is the difference between a wave and a vibration?

Back

A wave is the movement of energy from one place to another, while a vibration is a repeated back-and-forth motion.

Front

What is the relationship between waves and energy?

Back

Waves carry energy from one location to another without the physical transport of matter.

Front

What is the speed of a wave?

Back

The speed of a wave is the distance it travels per unit of time, often calculated as frequency times wavelength.

Front

What is wavelength?

Back

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

Front

What is frequency?

Back

The number of waves that pass a given point in one second, measured in Hertz (Hz).

Front

What is amplitude?

Back

The maximum displacement of points on a wave from its rest position, related to the energy of the wave.

Front

What is a wave period?

Back

The time it takes for one complete wave cycle to pass a given point, inversely related to frequency.