Sound Waves Key Terms – Flashcards
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wave
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a disturbance that transfers energy through matter or space
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mechanical waves
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waves that require a medium to travel
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medium
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solid, liquid, or gas through which a mechanical wave transfers its energy
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electromagnetic waves
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DO NOT REQUIRE a medium to travel (they transfer energy through empty space)
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vacuum
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empty space; the absence of matter -- NOT a Hoover :)
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amplitude
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distance from rest position to crest (high point) or rest position to trough (low point)
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wavelength
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distance from any point on a wave to the identical point on the next wave (crest to crest or trough to trough)
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frequency
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number of waves that pass a given point in one second
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pitch
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the highness or lowness of a sound
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longitudinal wave
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a wave in which the direction of the matter and the direction of the wave move parallel to one another
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transverse wave
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a wave in which the direction of the matter and the direction of the wave move perpendicular to one another
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volume
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the feature of sound that is affected by amplitude
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pitch
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the feature of sound that is affected by frequency
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amplitude
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the measure of a wave's energy
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solid
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the state of matter in which sound travels the fastest
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liquid
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the state of matter in which sound travels at a medium speed
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gas
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the state of matter in which sound travels the slowest
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Doppler effect
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the increase (or decrease) in the frequency of sound waves as the source and observer move toward (or away from) each other
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Crest
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the highest point of a wave.
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Frequency
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the number of times per second that a wave cycles.
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Mechanical Waves
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a wave that must travel through some sort of matter called a medium; cannot travel through a vacuum like outer space.
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Medium
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the matter that a wave travels through.
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Resting position
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the position the medium would take if there were no wave.
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Sound wave
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mechanical waves that are caused by a vibration; can be heard by our ears.
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Speed
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a measure of how fast the disturbance of the wave is moving; depends on the type of medium that a wave is moving through.
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Wave
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A disturbance that moves through space and matter; transfer energy from one place to another, but not matter.
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Wavelength
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the distance between two corresponding points on back-to-back cycles of a wave. For example, between two crests of a wave.
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Trough
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the lowest part of the wave; The opposite of the crest.
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Hertz
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unit for frequency
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compression
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an area of a longitudinal wave where the particles of the medium are close together
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rarefaction
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an area of a longitudinal wave where the particles of the medium are spread out
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wavelength of a longitudinal wave
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distance between 2 compressions or 2 rarefactions
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frequency of a longitudinal wave
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the number of compressions that pass a given point per second
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energy
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The ability to perform work.
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medium
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A material (solid, liquid, or gas) through which a wave travels.
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sound
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Energy traveling away from a vibrating object.
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vibrate
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To move rapidly back and forth.
