1
The lowest point on a transverse wave.
trough
A wave that can only travel through matter.
Distance between one point on a wave and the nearest point just like it.
The bending of waves around an obstacle; can also occur when waves pass through a narrow opening.
diffraction
The amount of time it takes one wavelength to pass a fixed point; is expressed in seconds
period
A point in a standing wave at which the interfering waves always cancel.
node
Unit for sound intensity; abbreviated dB
decibel
A spiral shaped, fluid-filled structure in the inner ear that converts sound waves to nerve impulses.
cochlea
Result of differences between sounds having the same pitch and loudness.
Sound quality
The study of sound
Acoustics
System that uses the reflection of sound waves to detect objects underwater.
Sonar
The highest point on a transverse wave.
Crest
Matter through which a wave travels.
medium
A less dense region of a longitudinal wave.
Rarefaction
The bending of a wave, caused by a change in its speed as it travels from one medium to another.
Refraction
The number of wavelengths that pass a fixed point each second; expressed in Hertz (Hz).
Frequency
Resonance.
Perception of how high or low a sound is; related to the frequency of the sound waves.
pitch
Tough membrane in the outer ear that is about 0.1 mm thick and transmits vibrations into the middle ear.
eardrum
Vibration whose frequency is a multiple of the fundamental frequency.
Overtone
Process by which objects are located by emitting sounds and interpreting the sound waves that are reflected from those objects.
echolocation
Resonator
Sound waves with frequency above 20,000 Hz, cannot be heard by humans.
Ultrasound
A wave in which the matter in the medium moves at right angles to the direction of the wave, has crests and troughs.
transverse wave
A wave in which the matter in the medium moves back and forth along the direction that the wave travels.
longitudinal wave