Waves

• What is transferred from one place to another in a wave?

  Energy
• How can energy sometimes be interpreted in wave?

  As information
• What is the term for the vibrations of waves?

  Oscillations
• What does displacement refer to in wave motion?

  How far from the equilibrium point the wave has oscillated
• What does distance refer to in the context of waves?

  How far the wave has travelled
• What is amplitude in wave motion?

  The maximum point of displacement
• What is the wavelength of a wave?

  The distance of one entire oscillation
• What is the crest of a wave?

  The top of each wave
• What is the trough of a wave?

  The bottom of each wave
• What does the time period of a wave refer to?

  The time taken for one complete oscillation
• How is frequency measured?

  In Hertz (Hz)
• What does frequency represent in wave motion?

  The number of complete oscillations per second
• What characterizes transverse waves?

  Oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer
• What type of waves are electromagnetic waves?

  Transverse waves
• What characterizes longitudinal waves?

  Oscillations are parallel to the direction of energy transfer
• What type of waves are sound waves?

  Longitudinal waves
• What are the behaviors of light and sound waves?

  • Transmission
  • Reflection
  • Refraction
  • Diffraction
  • Absorption
  • Scattering
• What is reflection in wave behavior?

  When waves bounce off an object
• What is transmission in wave behavior?

  When waves keep travelling through an object in the same direction
• What is absorption in wave behaviour?

  Energy is removed from wave as it is transferred to the medium
• What is refraction in wave behavior?

  Waves change speed and direction as they pass through different objects due to density
• What is diffraction in wave behavior?

  When waves meet a gap in a barrier, they pass through and spread out
• What is scattering in wave behavior?

  When waves depart from the expected path and spread out in multiple directions
• How do the behaviors of waves differ from one another?

  • Reflection: Waves bounce off objects
  • Transmission: Waves pass through objects
  • Refraction: Waves change speed and direction
  • Diffraction: Waves spread out after passing through gaps
  • Absorption: Waves are taken in by objects
  • Scattering: Waves spread out in multiple directions
• What do waves not transfer?

  Matter