2. Review What are the two main type of wave? Mechanical and electromagnetic What is the difference? Mechanical waves must travel through matter How do you describe the shape of these waves? Transverse and compressional waves What are the parts of a wave? Crest, trough, amplitude and wavelength What type of wave are sound waves? Mechanical, transverse
3. Wave Properties Waves have characteristics we can see and measure If you see a wave in the ocean, the distance it rises above the normal level of the water is called the wave’s amplitude Amplitude is half the distance between the crest and the trough in a transverse wave In compressional waves, the amplitude is greater when particles are squeezed together
4. Amplitude A wave’s amplitude measures the amount of energy the wave carries Waves with large amplitudes carry more energy than those with small amplitudes Example: bright light has a greater amplitude than dim light, and sound waves that are loud have greater amplitudes than soft sounds
5. Wavelength and Frequency Wavelength is the distance from a crest to crest or trough to trough Wavelength is important to the study of light: wavelength determines the color The frequency of a wave is the number of waves that pass a point in ONE second Measured in waves/second, called hertz (Hz) Do short wavelengths have a higher orlower frequency? Why? Why does a wave with a long wavelength have a low frequency?
