Waves Vocabulary

What is a wave?

• A disturbance that transfers energy through matter or space

• A type of sound

• A solid object

• A form of light

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What is a mechanical wave?

• A wave that travels through a vacuum

• A wave that requires a medium to travel through

• A wave that is visible to the human eye

• A wave that does not transfer energy

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What is an electromagnetic wave?

• A wave that requires a medium to travel through

• A wave that can travel through a vacuum

• A wave that is only found in water

• A wave that is always visible

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What is a transverse wave?

• A wave where particles move parallel to the direction of the wave

• A wave where particles move perpendicular to the direction of the wave

• A wave that does not require a medium

• A wave that is only found in air

What is a longitudinal (compression) wave?

• A wave where particles move perpendicular to the direction of the wave

• A wave where particles move parallel to the direction of the wave

• A wave that can only travel through solids

• A wave that is visible to the human eye

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-1

What is a medium in terms of waves?

• The speed of a wave

• The material through which a wave travels

• The height of a wave

• The frequency of a wave

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What is wavelength?

• The height of a wave

• The distance between two consecutive crests or troughs

• The speed of a wave

• The time it takes for a wave to pass a point

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What is amplitude?

• The distance between two consecutive crests

• The height of a wave from its rest position

• The speed of a wave

• The frequency of a wave

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What is frequency?

• The speed of a wave

• The number of waves that pass a point in a given time

• The height of a wave

• The distance between two consecutive crests

Tags

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What is the term for the high point of a wave?

• Trough

• Crest

• Refraction

• Absorption