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-and-

forth 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____.