Shared Flashcard Set

Details

waves vocabulary flashcards
39 key concepts & terms
39
Science
8th Grade
11/30/2015

Additional Science Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
wave
Definition
a repeating disturbance, vibration, or movement that transmits (transfers or moves) energy from place to place
Term
medium
Definition
a material through which waves can travel
Term
mechanical waves
Definition
waves that travel through matter – require a medium to vibrate in order for energy to be transferred; e.g. sound waves, water waves
Term
electromagnetic waves
Definition
waves that do not require a medium to exist – can travel through matter or empty space where matter is not present; e.g. light, radio waves
Term
compressional
Definition
mechanical waves in which the particles of matter in the medium vibrate by pushing together (compression) and moving apart (rarefaction); e.g. sound waves, some seismic waves
Term
transverse waves
Definition
mechanical waves in which the particles of matter in the medium vibrate by moving back and forth at right angles to the direction the waves travel; e.g. waves on a rope, strings on a musical instrument, some seismic waves, electromagnetic waves
Term
crest
Definition
the highest point of a transverse wave
Term
trough
Definition
the lowest point of a transverse wave
Term
wavelength
Definition
a property of a wave that is the distance between one point on a wave and the nearest point just like it on the very next wave
Term
frequency
Definition
a property of a wave that is a measure of the number of full wavelengths that pass a point in a certain amount of time
Term
amplitude
Definition
a property of a wave that is a measure of the greatest distance that vibrations in a wave move from their normal position as the wave passes
Term
wave speed
Definition
a property of a wave that is a measure of the distance per time that a given wave travels; a particular type of wave has a wave speed that is constant in a specific medium or in space
Term
refraction
Definition
a wave behavior that is the bending of waves due to a change in speed as the wave moves from one medium to another
Term
prism
Definition
a triangular-shaped piece of glass that refracts/separates light into its various frequencies / colors
Term
reflection
Definition
a wave behavior that is the bouncing back of waves upon reaching another surface or boundary that does not absorb the wave’s energy
Term
transmission
Definition
a wave behavior that is the process of allowing the wave to pass through a given point or medium
Term
translucent
Definition
objects that scatter light and let some light pass through; can see through the object, but not clearly
Term
transparent
Definition
a material through which light is transmitted / passes through easily
Term
opaque
Definition
a material that does not allow light waves to be transmitted through them;objects that block all light, don’t let any light pass through
Term
absorption
Definition
a wave behavior that means to take in so that the wave energy is not transferred through the medium
Term
light
Definition
a form of energy that moves as electromagnetic waves
Term
hearing
Definition
interpreting of sound waves, transmitted through the parts of the ear (outer ear, eardrum, middle ear, inner ear), by the brain
Term
sight
Definition
interpreting of light wave images, transmitted through parts of the eye cornea, lens, retina, optic nerve), by the brain
Term
color
Definition
different frequencies of light that are part of the visible light spectrum; the color perceived by the observer is the frequency reflected by a material, other frequencies were absorbed by the material
Term
color filter
Definition
a material that allows only certain colors of light to pass/transmit through them and absorbs or reflects all other colors
Term
electromagnetic spectrum
Definition
the entire range of electromagnetic waves arranged in order of their frequencies or wavelengths
Term
infrared ray
Definition
the range of electromagnetic waves in the frequency region just below red on the visible light spectrum; when absorbed objects become warmer
Term
visible light
Definition
the range of electromagnetic waves that can be detected by the human eye including colors
Term
ultraviolet ray
Definition
the range of electromagnetic waves in the frequency region just above violet on the visible light spectrum
Term
inner ear
Definition
the semicircular canals and cochlea, which form the organs of balance and hearing
Term
middle ear
Definition
the air-filled central cavity of the ear, behind the eardrum; sends vibrations to the inner ear
Term
outer ear
Definition
captures sound waves and sends them through the ear canal, which transfers the sound waves to the ear drum
Term
cornea
Definition
Light waves that have been emitted or reflected by an object, enter the eye and first pass through the transparent layer called the cornea where they are refracted. The cornea also protects the eye from injury
Term
lens
Definition
refracts light again after it passes through the cornea; focuses light onto the retina
Term
optic nerve
Definition
sends signals to the brain
Term
rods
Definition
located in the retina – allow us to see black and white.
Term
cones
Definition
located in the retina – allow us to see color
Term
pupil
Definition
opening (hole) in the middle of the eye
Term
iris
Definition
ring of colored muscles that control how much light enters the pupil
Supporting users have an ad free experience!