Wave vocabulary

Front

What is amplitude?

Back

The distance between the midline and the highest or lowest point of a wave.

Front

What is a crest?

Back

The highest point of a wave.

Front

What is frequency?

Back

The number of waves that pass a fixed point in a given amount of time.

Front

What is wavelength?

Back

The distance from one wave crest to the next crest or from one trough to the next trough.

Front

What is a wave?

Back

A disturbance that transfers energy.

Front

What is a trough?

Back

The lowest point of a wave.

Front

What is the midline of a wave?

Back

The horizontal line that represents the rest position of the wave.

Front

What is refraction?

Back

The bending of waves as they pass from one medium to another.

Front

What is diffraction?

Back

The spreading out of waves when they pass through an opening or around obstacles.

Front

What is the relationship between wavelength and frequency?

Back

As wavelength increases, frequency decreases, and vice versa.