Waves

Front 1

Is light a mechanical or electromagnetic wave?

Back 1

electromagnetic wave

Front 2

How is the amplitude of a longitudinal wave measured?

Back 2

It is a measure of how compressed or rarefied a medium becomes.

Front 3

Where are the nodes in a longitudinal wave located?

Back 3

In the middle of a compression or rarefaction.

Front 4

What does the amplitude of a wave measure?

Back 4

How much energy the wave has.

Front 5

Is light a transverse or longitudinal wave?

Back 5

transverse wave

Front 6

What units is frequency measured in?

Back 6

Hertz (Hz)

Front 7

Where are the nodes in a transverse wave located?

Back 7

Midway between the crests and troughs.

Front 8

What is the definition of a VIBRATION?

Back 8

A repeated back-and-forth or up-and-down motion.

Front 9

How are waves classified?

Back 9

According to how they move.

Front 10

What is the definition of a WAVELENGTH?

Back 10

The distance between two corresponding parts of a wave.

Front 11

What two broad categories can all wave types (transverse, longitudinal, or surface waves) be classified as?

Back 11

Mechanical or electromagnetic.

Front 12

How would you best describe a light wave? Is it transverse or longitudinal? Mechanical or electromagnetic? What two fields make up a light wave?

Back 12

It is a transverse electromagnetic wave consisting of an oscillating electric and magnetic field.

Front 13

What two fields make up a light wave?

Back 13

An electric and magnetic field.

Front 14

What is the definition of a MECHANICAL WAVE?

Back 14

A wave that requires a medium through which to move.

Front 15

What is the definition of a SURFACE WAVE?

Back 15

A wave that is a combination of a transverse and longitudinal wave.

Front 16

Is a sound wave a transverse wave or a longitudinal wave?

Back 16

longitudinal wave

Front 17

What is the definition of a COMPRESSION?

Back 17

The section of a longitudinal (compressional) wave where the particles are pressed close together.

Front 18

What is the definition of AMPLITUDE?

Back 18

The maximum distance the particles of a medium carrying the wave move away from their resting positions.

Front 19

What is the definition of a TROUGH?

Back 19

The lowest point on a transverse wave.

Front 20

Is a sound wave a mechanical wave or an electromagnetic wave?

Back 20

mechanical wave

Front 21

What three classifications of waves describe how they move?

Back 21

Transverse, longitudinal (compressional), and surface (combination) waves.

Front 22

What three parts make up a longitudinal wave?

Back 22

Areas of compression, rarefaction, and nodes.

Front 23

What is the definition of a RAREFACTION?

Back 23

The section of a longitudinal (compressional) wave where the particles are expanded or spread out.

Front 24

What is the definition of an ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE?

Back 24

A wave that can travel through empty space (a vacuum).

Front 25

What is another name for a surface wave?

Back 25

Combination wave.

Front 26

What is the definition of a MEDIUM?

Back 26

A substance through which a wave travels. It can be a solid, liquid, or gas.

Front 27

What is the definition of a LONGITUDINAL WAVE?

Back 27

A wave that moves the particles of the medium parallel to the direction in which the waves are traveling.

Front 28

How are waves created?

Back 28

When a source of energy causes a medium to vibrate.

Front 29

What is the definition of a CREST?

Back 29

The highest point on a transverse wave.

Front 30

What is the definition of WAVE FREQUENCY?

Back 30

The number of complete waves that pass a given point in a certain amount of time or the number of vibrations per second.

Front 31

What is the definition of a TRANSVERSE WAVE?

Back 31

A wave that moves the medium at a right angle(perpendicular) to the direction in which the wave is traveling.

Front 32

What three parts make up a transverse wave?

Back 32

crest, trough, and nodes

Front 33

What type of wave is a water wave?

Back 33

Surface or combination wave.

Front 34

What is the definition of a WAVE?

Back 34

A disturbance that transfers energy from place to place.

Front 35

What part of a transverse wave does a rarefaction in a longitudinal wave correspond to?

Back 35

Trough

Front 36

How can you find the wavelength of a transverse wave?

Back 36

By MEASURING THE DISTANCE FROM CREST TO CREST OR TROUGH TO TROUGH or any other two corresponding parts of the wave except the nodal regions. If nodal regions are used, you must measure the distance between any three nodes since there are three nodes per wavelength.

Front 37

What part of a transverse wave does a compression in a longitudinal wave correspond to?

Back 37

Crest

Front 38

How can you find the amplitude of a transverse wave?

Back 38

By measuring the distance from the rest position to a crest or trough.

Front 39

What are the four basic properties of waves?

Back 39

Amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and speed

Front 40

As waves travel through a medium, do they carry the medium itself with them? Explain.

Back 40

No. Waves only create a disturbance in the medium, causing its particles to move perpendicular to the direction of the wave (transverse) or back and forth in the same direction as the wave (longitudinal). The particles of the medium do not move out of place, however, as the wave travels.

Front 41

How do you find the amplitude of a longitudinal wave?

Back 41

By measuring the distance from one compression to the next.

Front 42

How is a Hertz defined?

Back 42

As one cycle (wavelength, vibration, or revolution) per second.