Science Vocabulary Wave Disturbance that transfers energy from

Science Vocabulary

Wave • Disturbance that transfers energy from one place to another. • Waves transfer energy, NOT matter.

Medium • The material through which a wave can travel. • A substance that makes possible the transfer of energy from one location to another.

Longitudinal Wave • Wave consisting of a periodic disturbance or vibration that takes place in the same direction as the advance of the wave.

Transverse Wave • A wave in which the vibrating element moves in a direction perpendicular to the direction of advance of the wave. • Example – Water waves

Mechanical Wave • A wave that propagates as an oscillation of matter, and therefore transfers energy through a medium

Electromagnetic Wave • Waves that are created as a result of vibrations between an electric field and a magnetic field. • EM waves are composed of oscillating magnetic and electric fields.

Amplitude • The maximum displacement or distance moved by a point on a vibrating body or wave measured from its equilibrium position. • It is equal to one-half the length of the vibration path.

Wavelength • The distance between two peaks in a wave. • Can be measured on anything that travels in waves, like sound, light, or water.

Wave Period • The time required for two successive wave crests to pass a fixed point, or the time for a single wave crest to travel a distance equal to the length of the wave.

Frequency • The number of times a point on a wave passes a fixed reference point in one second.

Hertz • (symbol: Hz) is the derived unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI) and is defined as wave cycles per one second. • Ex – 7 waves per second = 7 Hz.

Wave Speed • The speed at which a wave travels. • Wave speed is related to wavelength, frequency, and period by the equation: wave speed = frequency x wavelength.

Crest • The point on a wave with the maximum value of upward displacement within a cycle. • AKA – the highest point of wave.

Trough • The lowest point on a wave.

Resting Point • The position the medium would take if there were no wave. • It is represented on a graph by a line through the center of the wave.

Waves Summary