Mechanical Waves

Front

What is a mechanical wave?

Back

A mechanical wave is a disturbance that travels through a medium (solid, liquid, or gas) and transfers energy from one location to another.

Front

What are the two main types of mechanical waves?

Back

The two main types of mechanical waves are transverse waves and longitudinal waves.

Front

What is a transverse wave?

Back

A transverse wave is a wave in which the particles of the medium move perpendicular to the direction of the wave's travel.

Front

What is a longitudinal wave?

Back

A longitudinal wave is a wave in which the particles of the medium move parallel to the direction of the wave's travel.

Front

What is a surface wave?

Back

A surface wave is a wave that travels along the interface between two different media, such as water waves.

Front

What is a rarefaction in a longitudinal wave?

Back

A rarefaction is a region in a longitudinal wave where the particles of the medium are spread apart, resulting in lower pressure.

Front

What is a compression in a longitudinal wave?

Back

A compression is a region in a longitudinal wave where the particles of the medium are close together, resulting in higher pressure.

Front

How do waves transfer energy?

Back

Waves transfer energy through the vibration of particles in the medium, without the particles themselves traveling with the wave.

Front

What is the wavelength of a wave?

Back

The wavelength is the distance between two consecutive points that are in phase on a wave, such as crest to crest or trough to trough.

Front

What is frequency in relation to waves?

Back

Frequency is the number of complete waves that pass a given point in one second, measured in hertz (Hz).