1. Properties of Waves
Chapter 15 Section 2

2. 4 Basic Properties
The basic properties of waves are amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and speed.

3. Amplitude
Amplitude is the maximum distance that the particles of the medium carrying the wave move away from their rest positions.
Thus, the more energy a wave has, the greater its amplitude.

4. Amplitude
You can find the amplitude of a transverse wave by measuring the distance from the rest position to a crest or to a trough.
When the compressions are dense, it means that the wave’s amplitude is large.

5. Wavelength
A wave travels a certain distance before it starts to repeat.
The distance between two corresponding parts of a wave is its wavelength.
You can find the wavelength of a transverse wave by measuring the distance from crest to crest, or from trough to trough.
The wavelength of a longitudinal wave is the distance between compressions.

6. Frequency
Wave frequency is the number of complete waves that pass a given point in a certain amount of time.
Frequency is measured in units called hertz (Hz).

7. Speed Different waves travel at different speeds.
The speed, wavelength, and frequency of a wave are related to one another by a mathematical formula.
Speed = Wavelength x Frequency

8. Speed
If you know 2 of the 3, then you can find the third one by changing the speed formula around.

9. Speed Speed = Wavelength x Frequency Frequency = Speed Wavelength
Wavelength = Speed
Frequency