Characteristics of Waves
Chapter 1.1 What are Waves?
NGSS: none
Objective:
1. Explain what causes mechanical waves.
2. List and describe three types of waves.
Essential Question: What are the properties of waves?
Unit Question 1: What forms mechanical waves?
Unit Question 2: What are types of mechanical waves?
I.
What Forms Mechanical Waves?
A. Characteristics of Waves
1. Wave - a ______________ involving the transfer of __________
from _______ to ________.
Review: Energy - the ability to do ______.
ex. Waves can ______ objects.
2. ______ waves need something to __________ through.
ex. Sound can travel through air, water, and solid materials.
3. __________ - the material through which a ______________
wave travels.
ex. ________ (ropes), __________ (water), and _______ (air)
4. Mechanical waves - waves that require a ________ to travel.
5. Waves that can travel with or without a medium are
____________________ waves.
B. Waves and Energy
1. ________ is needed to make a wave.
2. Mechanical waves form when a source of energy causes a
________ to __________.
3. Vibration - a repeated ______-and-_______ motion or ___-and______ motion.
4. Moving objects have energy which __________ to a medium to
produce waves.
Figure 1 (page 6)
II.
What Are the Types of Mechanical Waves?
A. ______________ Wave – a wave that vibrates the medium at right
angles, or ________________, to the ____________ in which the
wave travels.
ex. waving a rope
Up
rest position
direction of wave
(energy)
Down
1. _____ – the ______ point on a transverse wave.
2. ________ – the _____ point on a transverse wave.
Figure 2 (page 7)
B. ______________ Wave – a wave that vibrates the medium in the
______ direction (____________) the wave travels.
ex. push and pull on opposite ends of a Slinky.
rest position
direction of wave
(energy)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Spacing of the waves ______.
____________ – areas where waves are _______ together.
____________ – areas where waves are __________ out.
Energy travels from _____ end to the other, then returns to its
________ position.
Figure 3 (page 8), Apply It! (Page 8)
C. _________ Waves – a combination of ____________ and
________________ waves.
1. Travels along the surface that separates _____ mediums.
ex. Ocean waves (mediums = water and air)
2. When the water passes through water, the water vibrates up and
down (____________ wave). The water also moves back and
forth slightly in the direction the wave is traveling (but without
____________). These motions combine to make each particle of
water move in a _______.
Figure 4 (page 9)