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Intro to Waves definitions

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  • Wave
    A disturbance in space that requires a medium to travel through, such as air, water, or a string.
  • Medium
    A material or substance through which a wave travels, like air for sound or water for ripples.
  • Transverse wave
    A wave where particle displacement is perpendicular to the direction of wave motion.
  • Longitudinal wave
    A wave where particle displacement is parallel to the direction of wave motion.
  • Wavelength
    The distance between successive crests in transverse waves or compressions in longitudinal waves.
  • Amplitude
    The height from the equilibrium position in transverse waves, representing half the vertical distance of the graph.
  • Crest
    The peak or highest point of a transverse wave.
  • Trough
    The lowest point or valley of a transverse wave.
  • Compression
    A region in a longitudinal wave where particles are closest together.
  • Rarefaction
    A region in a longitudinal wave where particles are furthest apart.
  • Frequency
    The number of wave cycles that pass a point per unit time, inversely related to the period.
  • Period
    The time it takes for one complete wave cycle to pass a point, inversely related to frequency.
  • Wave speed
    The speed at which a wave pattern travels through a medium, calculated as wavelength times frequency.
  • Lambda
    The symbol representing wavelength in wave equations.
  • Velocity
    The speed of a wave, calculated as distance over time, or wavelength over period.