Waves
Instructions
 Take notes on the slides. Draw diagrams,
etc. that help you. Notes can be used on
the test when we get back, and the quiz at
the end, so take good ones!
 Do not take notes on the “Learning Target”
slides. Those are to help you know your
goals.
 Complete activities within the PowerPoint as
they come up. Do this on a separate sheet
of paper, and keep to turn in.
Learning Targets
 1.1a Define mechanical wave.
 1.2a Define electromagnetic wave.
 1.3a Identify an electromagnetic
wave.
 1.4a Identify a mechanical wave.
 1.5a Differentiate between
mechanical and electromagnetic
waves.
What’s a wave?
 Wave: a rhythmic disturbance that transfers
energy through matter or space
 Two general types of waves:
 Mechanical waves
 Electromagnetic waves

Mechanical
Waves
Require matter to travel through
 The matter the mechanical wave travels
through is called a MEDIUM
 Examples of a medium that a mechanical
wave can travel through: sound waves,
earthquake waves, water waves
 Can be transverse or longitudinal
Transverse Wave
Longitudinal Wave
Mechanical Waves
 Two types of mechanical waves:
1. Transverse : matter moves in the medium at
right angles to the direction that the wave is
travelling

Examples: water waves, S-type earthquake
waves
2. Longitudinal: vibration is parallel to the
direction of motion of the wave; back and
forth motion; also called compressional
waves

Examples: sound waves, P-type earthquake
waves
Activity
 Think of 3 types of waves that you
experience daily that are NOT listed as
examples in any previous slides.
Transverse Waves
Crest: highest point of a transverse wave
Trough: lowest point of a transverse wave
Amplitude: the amount of energy carried by a wave; corresponds to
the height of a transverse wave
Wavelength: the distance between two identical points on a wave
Longitudinal/Compression
al Waves
Rarefaction: expanded portion of the wave; particles are spread
apart
Compression: compressed (squeezed) portion of the wave;
particles are pushed together
Wavelength: the distance between two identical points on a wave
Amplitude: the amount of energy carried by a wave; corresponds
to the amount of compression in a longitudinal wave
Activity
 Trace this image onto a piece of paper, then identify
and label three areas where you could determine the
wavelength.
Activity
 Identify the parts of the
transverse wave labeled with
letters below.
B
C
A
D
Activity
 Use what you know to make a prediction
about what the following terms mean.
Please explain your reasoning.
 Amplitude
 Frequency
 Wavelength
Learning Targets
 1.2b Identify the different parts of a wave.
 1.3b Explain the strength of the wave by
analyzing amplitude and wavelength.
 1.4b Explain the relationship between the
frequency and the type of wave.
Amplitude- amount of energy carried
by a wave
Low Amplitude
Medium Amplitude
High Amplitude
Wavelength- distance between
two identical points on a wave
Short Wavelength
Long Wavelength
Frequency- the number of waves that
pass a given point in 1 second
Low Frequency
High Frequency
Relationship between amplitude,
wavelength, frequency, and energy
HIGH AMPLITUDE = HIGH ENERGY
LOW AMPLITUDE = LOW ENERGY
LONG WAVELENGTH = LOW FREQUENCY = LOW ENERGY
SHORT WAVELENGTH = HIGH FREQUENCY = HIGH ENERGY
Activity 4/
Use the following terms to answer the numbers below.
Medium
Compression
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Transverse
Rarefaction
Longitudinal
Energy
Waves transfer this.
Waves in which the matter moves at right angles to the direction of the wave .
The matter a wave moves through.
Waves in which the matter moves parallel to the direction of the wave.
Expanded portion of a longitudinal wave.
Squeezed together portion of a longitudinal wave.
Learning Targets
 1.5a Differentiate between mechanical
and electromagnetic waves.
Electromagnetic Spectrum
 Create a visual of the electromagnetic spectrum.
 You can look online for ideas, or create
something using this image as a reference.
Learning Targets
 1.2b Identify the different parts of a wave.
 1.3b Explain the strength of the wave by
analyzing amplitude and wavelength.
 1.4b Explain the relationship between the
frequency and the type of wave.
 1.5b Compare and contrast a transverse
and a longitudinal wave.
Electromagnetic Waves
 Do not require a medium through which to
travel (means they can travel through a
vacuum such as space)
 Examples: radio waves, microwaves,
infrared waves (heat), light waves, UV rays,
X-rays, gamma rays
 Are transverse waves
 All electromagnetic waves travel at the
same speed.
 Their speed is the speed of light =
300,000,000 m/s
 That’s 186,000 miles/second!!!!!!
Activity
Complete the T chart that you were given to differentiate
between mechanical and electromagnetic waves.
Mechanical Waves
Electromagnetic Waves
Quiz
1.
How are wavelengths measured?
2.
What is the main difference between electromagnetic and
mechanical waves?
3.
What is the matter a wave moves through called?
4.
What is the squeezed together part of a wave called?
5.
What is the expanded part of a wave called?
6.
Give two examples of each type of wave.
7.
________ is the amount of energy carried by a wave.
8.
__________ is the number of waves that pass a point in 1 second.
9.
______ is the distance between two identical parts of a wave.
10. Write a two paragraph (3-5 sentences each) story about a
person experiencing waves in their life.