Waves

• Wave Type


  Mechanical Waves: require a physical medium (e.g., water, air, solid). Electromagnetic Waves: don't require a medium; can travel through a vacuum.
• Amplitude


  Maximum displacement of the wave from its equilibrium position.
• Frequency


  Number of oscillations (or cycles) per second, measured in Hz.
• Wavelength


  Distance between two consecutive points on a wave that are in phase.
• Speed


  Distance traveled per unit time; depends on medium and type of wave.
• Reflection


  Change in direction at a boundary.
• Refraction


  Change in direction due to a change in medium.
• Diffraction


  Bending around obstacles or through small openings.
• Interference


  Superposition of two or more waves, resulting in a new wave pattern.
• Transverse Wave


  Oscillations occur perpendicular to the direction of propagation. Examples: light waves, water waves, seismic S-waves.
• Longitudinal Wave


  Oscillations occur parallel to the direction of propagation. Examples: sound waves, seismic P-waves.
• Electromagnetic Wave


  A type of wave that exhibits both electric and magnetic properties.
• Gamma Rays


  Shortest wavelength and highest frequency, used in medical treatments.
• 1. rays


  Shorter than UV, used in medical imaging.
• Ultraviolet (UV) Waves


  Shorter than visible light, can cause chemical reactions.
• Visible Light


  Range of frequencies and wavelengths visible to human eye.
• Infrared (IR) Waves


  Longer than microwaves, felt as heat.
• Microwaves


  Longer than radio waves, used for heating and communication.
• Radio Waves


  Lowest frequency and longest wavelength electromagnetic waves.
• Speed (EM Waves)


  Approximately 299,792,458 m/s in vacuum.
• Wavelength (EM Waves)


  Measured in meters, ranges from very long (e.g., radio waves) to very short (e.g., gamma rays).
• Wave Speed


  The distance traveled by a wave per unit of time. Speed is measured in meters per second (m/s), kilometers per hour (km/h), or miles per hour (mph).
• Constant Wave Speed


  Waves that travel at a constant speed in a medium, such as a solid, liquid, or gas.
• Energy


  The capacity to do work, measured in Joules (J).
• Kinetic Energy


  The energy of motion, depends on the object's velocity.
• Potential Energy


  Stored energy, depends on the object's position or configuration.
• Thermal Energy


  The energy of heat, transferred between objects through conduction or convection.
• Electromagnetic Energy


  The energy of electromagnetic waves, such as light or radio waves.
• Energy Conversion


  The process of changing energy from one form to another, such as kinetic to thermal or electromagnetic to kinetic.
• Law of Energy Conservation


  Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted from one form to another.
• Energy Efficiency


  The ratio of useful work or energy output to the total energy input, often expressed as a percentage.
• Acceleration


  The rate of change of velocity, measured in m/s².
• Deceleration


  The rate of change of velocity in the opposite direction, also measured in m/s².
• Net Force


  The force that causes an object to accelerate or decelerate.