Wave a disturbance that transfers energy from place to place. The material through which a wave travels is called a medium. Ex. Gases (air), liquids (water) and solids (rope) Waves that require a medium through which to travel are called mechanical waves.

ELECTROMAGNETIC waves. No medium is needed for ELECTROMAGNETIC waves. Light, radio, x-rays, and gamma rays are some examples of e/m waves. All e/m waves travel through free space at a speed of approximately 300,000 km/sec or 186,000 miles/sec. This speed is known as the speed of light.

transverse longitudinal A wave that moves the medium in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the wave travels. longitudinal A wave that moves a medium in a direction parallel to the direction in which the wave travels.

longitudinal waves The part of a longitudinal wave where the particles of the medium are far apart are called rarefactions. where the particles of the medium are close together are called compressions.

SURFACE A combination of transverse and longitudinal. Surface waves make objects move in a circle relative to the direction the wave is traveling. (think ocean wave)

Amplitude Wavelength Frequency Speed

Amplitude the maximum distance that the particles of the medium carrying the wave move away from their rest positions.

the distance between two corresponding parts of a wave Wavelength the distance between two corresponding parts of a wave denoted by l and measured in units of length

Frequency - the number of complete waves that pass a given point in a certain amount of time. denoted by f and measured in units of Hz

s = l x f Speed - the speed of a wave is how far the wave travels in a given length of time. The speed of a wave depends on the properties of the medium through which it is traveling. Speed = wavelength x frequency s = l x f

Increased Energy Decreased Energy short wavelength large amplitude high frequency Decreased Energy long wavelength small amplitude low frequency