Name _____________________________________________ Date _________________ Period _______
Unit 3 Lesson 1 Waves
What are waves?
Water waves are just one of many kinds of waves. Sound and light are also waves.
Waves are caused by vibrations of a medium. A medium is the material through which a wave can
travel.
Waves transfer energy from one place to another.
The points where a wave is highest are called crests. The points where a wave is lowest are called
troughs.
Some waves, such as ocean waves, transfer energy through a medium.
Some waves, such as light waves, can transfer energy without a medium.
How do waves transfer energy?
Not all waves transfer energy the same way.
Waves can be classified by comparing the direction that they cause particles in the medium to move
with the direction in which the wave moves.
Energy can be transferred from one object to another using compressions. This causes energy to travel
in a longitudinal wave.
Sound waves are longitudinal waves.
Energy can be transferred from one object to another using up and down motions. This causes energy to
travel as a transverse wave.
In a transverse wave, particles move perpendicularly to the direction the wave travels.
What are some types of waves?
Waves can also be classified by what they are traveling through.
Waves such as water waves that require a medium are called mechanical waves.
Some mechanical waves can travel through more than one medium.
For example, sound waves can move through air, water, and a solid wall.
Mechanical waves can’t travel without a medium.
Electromagnetic (EM) waves are not disturbances in a physical medium. They are vibrations of electric
and magnetic fields.
Sunlight is an example of EM waves. Other examples include radio waves, microwaves, and X-rays.
In empty space, all EM waves travel at the same speed, called the speed of light.
Unit 3 Lesson 2 Properties of Waves
How can we describe a wave?
Waves can be described by basic properties.
In a transverse wave, there are special terms for the maximum displacement of particles in the wave.
The highest points are crests; the lowest points are troughs.
A wave’s amplitude is a measure of how far particles in the medium move away from their normal rest
position.
Wavelength is the distance over which the wave’s shape repeats.
Wavelength is the distance from any point on a wave to an identical point later on the wave.
What is the wavelength of this wave? What is the wave’s amplitude?
Another property is wave period, the time required for one wavelength to pass a given point.
Frequency is also a way to express how far apart waves are in time. It is the number of crests that pass a
point in a certain amount of time.
Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz). One hertz equals one wavelength per second.
Frequency is the inverse of period.
What affects the energy of a wave?
Some waves carry more energy than others.
Friction has a dampening effect on waves, meaning it causes them to lose energy.
The amount of energy a mechanical wave carries determines its amplitude.
The amplitude of a sound wave corresponds to its volume.
In an electromagnetic (EM) wave, energy depends on frequency as well as amplitude.
High-frequency waves carry more energy than low-frequency waves.
Many waves spread out in circles or spheres, called wave fronts.
As the circle expands, there is less energy available on the wavefront.
What determines the speed of a wave?
Wave speed, or the speed at which waves travel, depends on the properties of the medium.
Waves tend to travel slower in a denser medium
In gases, wave speed is higher in higher temperatures.
All electromagnetic waves travel at the same speed in empty space, but they travel more slowly through
a denser medium.
Wave speed can be calculated from frequency and wavelength.
Speed is a distance divided by time.
Wave speed is a wavelength divided by wave period.
This relationship can be combined with the relationship between wavelength and frequency.
The wavelength is equal to the wave speed divided by its frequency.
Name _____________________________________________ Date _________________ Period _______
Unit 3 Lesson 1 Waves
What are waves?
_________ waves are just one of many kinds of waves. ________ and ________ are also waves.
Waves are caused by __________ of a medium. A medium is the material through which a wave can
___________.
Waves transfer ________ from one _________ to another.
The points where a wave is highest are called ________. The points where a wave is lowest are called
___________.
Some waves, such as ocean waves, transfer energy through a __________.
Some waves, such as ________ waves, can transfer energy __________ a medium.
How do waves transfer energy?
Not all waves transfer _________the same way.
Waves can be __________ by comparing the __________ that they cause _________ in the medium to
move with the direction in which the wave moves.
Energy can be transferred from one object to another using _____________. This causes energy to
travel in a _____________ wave.
_________ ________ are longitudinal waves.
____________ can be transferred from one object to another using up and down motions. This causes
energy to travel as a ___________ _________.
In a transverse wave, particles move ________________ to the direction the wave travels.
What are some types of waves?
Waves can also be _________ by what they are traveling through.
Waves such as _________ waves that require a medium are called ___________ __________.
Some mechanical waves can travel through more than one medium.
For example, ___________ __________ can move through air, water, and a solid wall.
____________ __________ can’t travel without a medium.
_______________(EM) waves are not disturbances in a physical medium. They are vibrations of electric
and magnetic fields.
____________ is an example of EM waves. Other examples include ________ waves, ____________,
and X-rays.
In empty space, all EM waves travel at the same speed, called the __________ _____ __________.
Unit 3 Lesson 2 Properties of Waves
How can we describe a wave?
Waves can be described by basic _____________.
In a _____________wave, there are __________ terms for the maximum displacement of particles in
the wave.
The highest points are ___________; the lowest points are __________.
A wave’s ____________ is a measure of how far particles in the medium move away from their
___________ rest position.
____________ is the distance over which the wave’s shape repeats.
Wavelength is the distance from any point on a wave to an __________ point later on the wave.
What is the wavelength of this wave? What is the wave’s amplitude?
Another property is ________ _________, the time required for one wavelength to pass a given point.
____________ is also a way to express how far apart waves are in time. It is the number of _______
that pass a point in a certain amount of time.
Frequency is measured in __________ (Hz). One hertz equals one wavelength per second.
Frequency is the ________ of period.
What affects the energy of a wave?
Some waves carry ________ energy than others.
_________ has a dampening effect on waves, meaning it causes them to________ energy.
The amount of energy a mechanical wave carries determines its ____________.
The amplitude of a sound wave __________ to its volume.
In an _________________ (EM) wave, energy __________ on frequency as well as amplitude.
High-frequency waves carry more ________ than low-frequency waves.
Many waves spread out in __________ or __________, called wave fronts.
As the circle expands, there is less energy available on the ________________.
What determines the speed of a wave?
Wave __________, or the speed at which waves travel, depends on the ___________ of the medium.
Waves tend to travel slower in a __________medium
In _________, wave speed is higher in higher _____________.
All electromagnetic waves travel at the ________ speed in empty space, but they travel more slowly
through a _________ medium.
Wave speed can be __________ from ___________ and wavelength.
Speed is a distance divided by time.
Wave speed is a ____________divided by wave period.
This relationship can be combined with the relationship between wavelength and ___________.
The ___________ is equal to the wave speed divided by its ________________.