1. 15.2 Properties of waves
Key concepts: What are the basic properties of waves? How is a wave’s speed related to its wavelength and frequency?
Key terms: amplitude, wavelength, frequency, hertz (Hz)

2. The basic properties of waves:
Amplitude
Wavelength
Frequency
Speed

3. Amplitude
Amplitude is the maximum distance that the particles of the medium carrying the wave move away from their rest positions
Amplitude of transverse waves – maximum up or down position
Amplitude of longitudinal waves – how compressed or rarefied (spread out) a wave is
More compressed = bigger amplitude

4. wavelength The distance between two corresponding parts of a wave
Transverse – measuring from crest to crest or trough to trough
Longitudinal – distance between compressions

5. Frequency
Wave frequency is the number of complete waves that pass a given point in a certain amount of time.
Shorter wavelength = higher frequency
Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz).
A wave that occurs every second has a frequency of 1 hz.
(named after Heinrich Hertz, discoverer of radio waves)

6. Speed Different waves travel at different speeds
Speed is the distance divided by the time it took the wave to travel that distance. (distance/time)
Speed, wavelength, frequency related by
Speed = wavelength x frequency
Frequency = speed/wavelength
Wavelength = speed/frequency