| Term | Definition |
|---|
| wave | a disturbance that travels through matter or space, carrying energy from one place to another |
| amplitude | the distance that any point on a wave has moved from its resting position; equal to half the wave height |
| wavelength | the measurement of the distance between the crests and troughs in a series of waves |
| transverse wave | a wave in which the particles vibrate at right angles to the direction of the wave |
| longitudinal wave | a wave in which the particles vibrateback and forth in the same direction as the wasve is moving |
| frequency | the number of vibrations a wave has in a given time |
| pitch | the level of a sound's perceived highness or lowness |
| loudness | the perception of the amplitude of a soundwave |
| electromagnetic waves | waves of vibrating electric and magnetic fields |
| radiant energy | the kind of energy carried by electromagnetic waves |
| reflection | the bouncing of light waves off a surface |
| refraction | the bending of a light wave when it passes from one medium to another |
| transparent | relating to a medium or substance that light can travel through |
| opaque | not allowing light to pass through |
| translucent | relating to a substance that allows light to pass through it but scatters the light |
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