Chapter 15: Characteristics of Waves
Name_____________________
Section 1
Waves and Energy
*A wave is a _disturbance_________ that transfers
___energy_____ from place to place.
*Energy is the ability to do _____work________.
Examples : __water, sound, sunlight_________________
*The __medium____ is the material that a mechanical
wave travels through.
Examples: __water, air, rope______________
*_light____ does _not__ require a medium.
Light is not a __mechanical____ wave.
*Mechanical waves are created when a source of __energy___
causes a _medium___ to vibrate.
*A ____vibration_____ is a repeated back-andforth or up-and-down motion.
Types of Waves
*_transverse___ waves move the medium at right
angles to the direction that the wave is traveling.
*The high point of the wave is called the __crest__ and the
low point is called the __trough____.
Diagram a transverse wave.
*__longitudinal____ waves move the medium
parallel to the direction the wave is traveling.
*The part of the longitudinal wave that are close together are called
__compression____. The area that is spread out is
called ____rarefactions________.
Diagram a longitudinal wave.
Section 2
Amplitude
*Amplitude is the maximum ___up or down__ distance that the
particles of the medium carrying the __wave_ move from the
resting point.
Transverse:
A.
B.
Wave __________ has the greater amplitude.
Longitudinal:
A.
B.
Wave ____________ has the greater amplitude.
Wavelength
*Wavelength is the distance between two _corresponding__ parts of the
wave.
Transverse:
Longitudinal:
Frequency
*Frequency is the __number_____ of complete waves that
pass a given point in a certain amount of __time__.
*Frequency is measured in ___hertz_____( Hz ).
Transverse:
Longitudinal:
Section 3
Reflection
*Reflection is when an object or __wave___ hits a surface it can not
pass through and __bounces__ back.
*The ___law____ of ___reflection___ states that the
angle of ____incidence________ equals the angle of
reflection.
Label the diagram:
Refraction
*Refraction is the ___bending__ of waves due to the change in
speed.
Diffraction
*Diffraction happens when a wave moves around a barrier or through
An __opening___ and bends or _spreads___ out.
Interference
*Interference is the ___interaction____ between waves.
*___constructive____ interference happens when waves
combine and make a wave with a larger ___amplitude_____.
*Destructive __interference___ happens when waves combine
an d make a wave with a smaller _____amplitude____.