Vocabulary List for Unit 2: Light and Sound

Front

Energy

Back

The ability to do work or cause change; it can exist in various forms such as kinetic, potential, thermal, and more.

Front

Light ray

Back

A straight line that represents the path along which light energy travels.

Front

Reflection

Back

The bouncing back of light rays when they hit a surface.

Front

Refraction

Back

The bending of light rays as they pass from one medium to another, changing their speed.

Front

Electromagnetic spectrum

Back

The range of all types of electromagnetic radiation, including visible light, radio waves, X-rays, and more.

Front

Radiation

Back

The emission or transmission of energy in the form of waves or particles through space or a medium.

Front

Absorption

Back

The process by which matter takes in light or other forms of energy, preventing it from passing through.

Front

Amplitude

Back

The maximum extent of a wave's vibration or displacement from its rest position, related to the energy of the wave.

Front

Frequency

Back

The number of waves that pass a given point in one second; it is measured in Hertz (Hz).

Front

Wavelength

Back

The distance between two consecutive points in a wave, such as from crest to crest or trough to trough.