1. Characteristics of Waves
8.P.3A.1 Construct explanations of the relationship between matter and energy based on the characteristics of mechanical and light waves

2. Waves
Repeating disturbance or vibration that transfers or moves energy from place to place
Created when a source of energy (force) causes vibrations
Vibration is a repeated back-and-forth or up-and-down motion
Waves carry energy through empty space or through a medium without transporting matter
All waves can transmit energy through a medium
Electromagnetic waves can transmit energy through empty space
Medium is a material though which waves can travel.
Solid, liquid, gas, plasma

3. Mechanical Waves
Mechanical waves require the particles of the medium to vibrate in order for energy to be transferred
Water Waves, Earthquake/seismic waves, sound waves, and waves that travel down a rope or spring
Mechanical waves cannot be transferred or transmitted through empty space

4. Light Waves Electromagnetic waves Travel through matter or empty space
Part of electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye

5. Movement of Waves Mechanical waves
Matter particles vibrate by pushing together and moving apart parallel to the direction in which the wave travels are called “compressional” or “longitudinal waves”
Place where wave is pushed together is called the “compression”
Place that is moving apart is the rarefaction
Sound/Seismic

6. Movement of Waves: Transverse
Particles of matter in the medium vibrate by moving back and forth and perpendicular (Right Angles) to the direction the wave travels are transverse waves
Highest point is the “crest”
Lowest point is the “trough”
Rope, water, slinky, string instrument
Light waves are transverse that can travel without a medium

7. Properties of Waves
8.P.3A.2 Develop and Use Models to exemplify the basic properties of waves (including frequency, amplitude, wavelength and speed).

8. Frequency
Measure of how many waves pass a certain point in a certain time.
The higher the Frequency, the faster/the closer the waves are together.
The higher the Frequency, the more energy carried by the waves
Measured by hertz (Hz)

9. Wavelength Measure of the Distance from Crest A to Crest B
Or Troughs
Shorter Wavelengths are influence by Frequency
Higher Frequency causes shorter the wavelength and greater the energy

10. Amplitude
Measure of the distance of a line down the center of the wave to the crest or trough
Middle Line is running on the plane the wave is moving on
“Height” of the wave
Greater the Force means Greater the amplitude and Energy carried
In a Transverse Wave, Higher the Height, the Greater the Amplitude
(Sound Waves) Greater Amplitude=Greater the Sounder
(Light Waves) Greater Amplitude= Brighter the Light

11. Speed Distance a single wave travels in a certain time
Speed determined by type of wave (Electromagnetic or Mechanical) and by the nature of the medium
As a wave enters a different medium, the wave speed changes
Each medium causes a different speed
ALL FREQUENCIES of electromagnetic waves travel at the same speed in empty space
How to calculate:
Speed/Velocity equals the Frequency times the Wavelength
V=f•λ