Waves

CHARACTERISTICS OF WAVES Waves are described according to their Amplitude measures DISPLACEMENT size of the disturbance Wavelength  distance of a “repeating unit” Also called a cycle Velocity v speed = how fast wave travels

AMPLITUDE Distance between “rest & crest” or “rest & trough” Gives indication of “power” or “strength” of wave (magnitude of earthquake = Richter scale) Does not affect velocity of wave Determines loudness (sound) or brightness (EM wave)

WAVELENGTH  Distance between any two repeating points on a wave crest-crest, trough-trough, expansion-expansion, compression-compression Determines what colors we see; what notes we hear (pitch) Shorter wavelengths have more cycles per minute because they aren’t as long

Frequency ƒ How often number of wavelengths that pass any point per second measured in wavelengths/second or cycles/second Hertz (Hz) = number of wavelengths in 1 second Frequency is related to velocity: v = ƒ 