Properties of Waves

• Waves

  Transfer energy and information but do not transfer matter.
• Transverse waves.

  A wave for which the oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer.
• Longitudinal waves.

  A wave for which the oscillations are parallel to the direction of energy transfer.
• Examples of transverse waves.

  EM waves, seismic s-waves
• Examples of longitudinal waves.

  Sound waves, Seismic p-waves
• What are the two parts of a longitudinal wave called?

  Compressions and rarefactions.
• What is a wave’s amplitude?

  The maximum displacement of a point on a wave from its undisturbed position.
• What is wavelength?

  The distance from a point on a wave to the same position on the adjacent wave.
• What is the frequency of a wave?

  The number of waves that pass a given point each second.
• Unit for frequency.

  Hertz, Hz
• What is wave speed?

  The speed at which energy is transferred through a medium.
• What is wave velocity?

  Wavespeed = Wavelength x frequency
• What is the period of a wave?

  The period of a wave is the time it takes for one complete cycle of the wave to occur.