Name ___________________________________________________________ Date _____________ Per ____
Parts of a Wave
Energy is transferred in the form of transverse or longitudinal waves. A transverse wave moves the medium at
a right angle to the direction of the wave. Energy moves through water as a transverse wave. A longitudinal
wave moves the medium parallel to wave direction. Sound energy moves through a medium as a longitudinal
wave.
Fig. 1
Amplitude is a measure of how big the wave is. Imagine a wave in the ocean. It could be a little ripple or a
giant tsunami. What you are actually seeing are waves with different amplitudes. They might have the exact
same frequency and wavelength, but the amplitudes of the waves can be very different.
The amplitude of a wave is measured as:
1. The height from the line of origin (equilibrium point) to the highest point of a crest
or
2. The depth from line of origin (equilibrium point) to the lowest point of a trough
When you measure the amplitude of a wave, you are really looking at the energy of the wave. It takes more
energy to make a bigger amplitude wave. Anytime you need to remember this, just think of a home stereo’s
amplifier… it makes the amplitude of the waves bigger by using more electrical energy to get a louder sound
Adapted from: http://studyphysics.iwarp.com/20/unit3/waves/fwa/note.htm#_Frequency
Refer to the transverse waves in Figure 1 to answer the questions.
1. a. What is the highest point of a transverse wave called? ___________________________
b. What is the lowest point of a transverse wave called? ___________________________
2. How does the medium move in reference to the transverse wave moving through it?
____________________________________________________________________________________
3. What determines the wavelength of a transverse wave? _______________________________________
4. What is the vertical distance between the line of origin & the crest or trough called? ________________
5. How does the height of a wave compare to its amplitude? _____________________________________
6. What would be the line of origin of an ocean wave? __________________________________________