1. Anatomy of a wave

2. a wavelength measurement is made by measuring the distance from a compression to the next compression or from a rarefaction to the next rarefaction.
A region where the coils are pressed together in a small amount of space is known as a compression. A compression is a point on a medium through which a longitudinal wave is traveling that has the maximum density.
A region where the coils are spread apart, thus maximizing the distance between coils, is known as a rarefaction. A rarefaction is a point on a medium through which a longitudinal wave is traveling that has the minimum density.
Longitudinal Wave

4. Dotted line= equilibrium
Transverse Wave
The amplitude of a wave refers to the maximum amount of displacement of a particle on the medium from its rest position. In a sense, the amplitude is the distance from rest to crest.
The crest of a wave is the point on the medium that exhibits the maximum amount of positive or upward displacement from the rest position.
Dotted line= equilibrium
The trough of a wave is the point on the medium that exhibits the maximum amount of negative or downward displacement from the rest position.
The wavelength of a wave is simply the length of one complete wave cycle. (from crest to crest)

5. Amplitude
The amount of energy carried by a wave
(wave height)

6. The energy of a mechanical wave depends on the material
Heavy rope:
You need more initial force in order to get the same amplitude
Light rope:
You need less initial force in order to get the same amplitude

7. frequency
The frequency of a wave refers to how often the particles of the medium vibrate when a wave passes through the medium.
The number of complete vibrational cycles of a medium per a given amount of time.
units of cycles/second, waves/second, vibrations/second, or something/second
Or Hertz (abbreviated Hz) where 1 Hz is equivalent to 1 cycle/second.
High frequency
Low frequency
High pitch sounds will have a high frequency and low pitch sounds will have a low frequency

8. Wavelength The length of one complete wave cycle
Wavelength (λ) = speed (v) / frequency (f)
Long wavelength
Short wavelength

10. Sound Waves Volume or amplitude will be measured in Decibels.
Lower amplitude
Higher amplitude
Sound Waves
Longer wavelength, lower frequency
Shorter wavelength, higher frequency

11. Speed= wavelength * frequency
For a wave, the speed is the distance traveled by a given point on the wave (such as a crest) in a given period of time.
Speed= wavelength * frequency
So while wave frequency refers to the number of cycles occurring per second, wave speed refers to the meters traveled per second.
Example:
You can take long steps very slowly, or you can take long steps quickly.
Length of step=wavelength
Number of steps per second= frequency
To find your speed, you need to consider your length of step as well as how often/quickly you are taking them.

12. Speed can be affected by the type of medium the wave is moving through
Waves move faster through solids
Waves move slower through gases
The more dense the medium , the easier it is for the energy to pass through.
Example: think about sound waves.
Whale songs can be heard for upwards of 10,000 miles underwater, whereas sound traveling through the air don’t travel even a fraction of that distance at the same frequency.

13. Simulations

14. sources http://abernathyscience.com/online%20labs/trans