Waves vocabulary

transverse wave

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Terms in this set (17)

transverse wave

when the motion of the medium is perpendicular to the direction of the wave (e.g. light waves)

longitudinal wave

when the motion of the medium is parallel to the direction of the wave (e.g. sound waves)

amount of energy in a wave - in sound, we perceive this as volume, and in light, we perceive this as brightness or intensity

distance from crest to crest, trough to trough, compression to compression, or rarefaction to rarefaction

the number of waves that pass a point in a given amount of time - in sound, we perceive this as pitch, and in light, we perceive this as color

highest point on a transverse wave

lowest point on a transverse wave

The part of a longitudinal wave where the particles of the medium are close together.

a part in a longitudinal wave where the particles are spread apart

when a wave hits a surface and bounces off