Waves Mind Map
← WavesHow mechanical and electromagnetic waves carry energy, and how to describe a wave by its wavelength, amplitude, and frequency.
- waveA disturbance that carries energy from place to place.A wave moved across the pond.
- vibrationA quick back-and-forth or up-and-down motion.The vibration of a guitar string makes sound.
- mediumThe material a wave travels through, like air or water.Sound needs a medium, so it cannot travel through space.
- vacuumSpace with no matter in it, not even air.Light can travel through a vacuum, but sound cannot.
- mechanical waveA wave, like sound or a water wave, that needs matter to travel through.An ocean wave is a mechanical wave.
- electromagnetic waveA wave, like light or radio, that can travel through empty space.Sunlight reaches Earth as an electromagnetic wave.
- transverse waveA disturbance in which the oscillations are perpendicular to the direction energy travels.Shaking a rope up and down makes a transverse wave.
- longitudinal waveA disturbance in which the oscillations are parallel to the direction energy travels.Sound is a longitudinal wave.
- crestThe highest point of a wave.The surfer rode the crest of the wave.
- troughThe lowest point of a wave.The boat dipped into the trough between waves.
- compressionThe part of a push-and-pull wave where the particles are squeezed close together.Each push of the spring sends a compression down the coil.
- rarefactionThe part of a push-and-pull wave where the particles are spread far apart.Behind each squeezed part of the spring is a rarefaction.
- wavelengthThe distance between matching points on neighboring wave cycles, such as crest to crest.Red light has a longer wavelength than blue light.
- amplitudeThe greatest displacement or variation from a wave’s resting value; larger values usually indicate more energy when other conditions are the same.Loud sounds have a large amplitude.
- frequencyHow many waves pass a point each second.A high whistle has a high frequency.
- wave speedHow fast a wave moves through a material.Wave speed is faster for sound in steel than in air.
- pitchHow high or low a sound seems.A small bell has a higher pitch than a large one.
- reflectionA wave bouncing off a surface.An echo is a reflection of sound.
- refractionA change in a wave’s direction as its speed changes between regions, except when it crosses a boundary straight on.Refraction makes a straw look broken in water.
- absorptionA material taking in a wave’s energy.Dark shirts warm up from absorption of sunlight.