Waves/Brain Pop Vocabulary
Mechanical Wave Wave that needs a medium (liquids, solids or gasses) to move through Examples are water waves, seismic waves, sound waves, & the movement of a Slinky
Medium Material which the wave travels through
Seismic Waves Waves produced by an earthquake
Transverse Waves Wave in which matter moves at a right angle to the direction of the wave
Crest or PEAK The highest point of a transverse wave. Indicates the amount of energy in a wave.
Trough The lowest point of a transverse wave
Amplitude The distance in a transverse wave between the line of origin (resting position) and each crest or trough
Wavelength The distance between two consecutive crests or two consecutive troughs
Frequency The number of times a certain part of a wave passes a point in one second
Longitudinal Waves or Compressional Waves An energy wave consisting of a series of compressions and rarefactions that moves through a medium in the same direction the wave is traveling.