waves basics

waves basics

1. waves transfer info and energy in the direction they are treavelling

   • when a wave travels through a medium, they vibrate and transfer energy between eachother
     • but the particles stay at the same place

2. transverse waves

   • they have sideways vibrations
     • perpendicular at 90 degrees to the direction the wave travels
   • electromagnetic waves
   • s waves
     • ripples in the water

3. Longitudinal waves

   • they have parallel vibrations
     • they squash up and stretch out arrangement of particles
       • in the medium that pass through = compressions and refractions
   • P waves and sound waves

4. wavelength is the length of the full cycle of the wave

5. amplitude is the displacement of the from rest position, crest or trough

6. frequency is number of complete cycles of the wave passing through a point per second