wave

a disturbance that transfers energy from place to place

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energy

the ability to do work

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medium

the material through which a wave travels

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mechanical wave

waves that require a medium through which to travel

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vibration

a repeated back and forth or up and down motion

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transverse wave

waves that move the medium at right angles to the direction in which the waves travel

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crest

the high point of a transverse wave

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trough

the low point of a transverse wave

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longitudinal wave

move the medium parallel to the direction in which the waves travel

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compression

parts where the coils are close together on a spring

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rarefaction

parts where the coils are spread out on a spring

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amplitude

the maximum distance that the particles of the medium carrying the wave move away from their rest positions

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wavelength

the distance between two corresponding parts of a wave

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frequency

the number of complete waves that pass a given point in a certain amount of time

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hertz

the units that frequency is measured in (Hz)

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How are mechanical waves produces?

when a source of energy causes a medium to vibrate

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How are mechanical waves classified?

by how they move

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What are the types of mechanical waves?

transverse or longitudinal

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What are the basic properties of waves?

amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and speed

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How is the speed of a wave determined?

wavelength x frequency