MECHANICAL WAVES

Mechanical Waves- Basic Terms

100

This the material through which a wave travels.

What is a medium?

200

These are the names for the three types of mechanical waves. 

What are Transverse Waves, Longitudinal Waves, and Surface Waves

300

These two terms are the names for the highest point above the rest position and the lowest point below the rest position of a transverse wave.

What are crests and troughs?

400

These two terms refer to the areas of longitudinal waves where the particles in the medium are spaced close together and where they are spread out.

What are compressions and rarefactions?

500

This is how a wave is created.

What is a disturbance causing vibrations in a medium?

Properties of Mechanical Waves

100

This is the term for the maximum displacement of the wave from its midpoint to its crest

What is Amplitude?

200

This term refers to the is the number of complete cycles in a given time.

What is the **frequency*** of a wave?

300

This unit of measurement is used to describe a wave's frequency, and it represents the number of cycles per second.

What are Hertz?

400

These are the two factors that affect the energy of a wave.

What are frequency and amplitude?

500

These two parts of a wave are needed to complete an entire wave cycle (equal to 1 Hz).

What is a crest + a trough?

Mechanical Waves - Behavior

100

This type of medium allows a sound wave to travel through it the fastest.

What is a SOLID?

200

This is the relationship between frequency and wavelength.

What is "inversely proportional"?

300

This type of wave has a particle motion that is perpendicular to the direction of its energy.

What is a transverse wave?

400

This type of wave has a particle motion that is parallel to the direction of its energy.

What is a longitudinal wave?

500

This type of wave has a circular pattern of motion for its particles. (Hint: think of the ocean)

What is a surface wave?