Waves and Wavelengths Quiz

Waves and Wavelengths

• Waves transfer energy, not matter, from one place to another
• Examples of waves include ocean swells, sunlight, and sound
• Seismic waves (earthquakes), light waves (distant stars), and sound waves are all examples of different types of waves
• All waves, regardless of type, have energy in common

What is a Wave?

• A wave is a disturbance that transfers energy
• Energy, not matter, moves with the wave
• The medium through which a wave travels moves back and forth, not along the wave
• Examples of mediums include water, rope, and air

How Waves Work

• Imagine shaking one end of a rope
• Upward movement creates a high point or crest
• Downward movement creates a low point or trough
• The rope itself doesn't move along the wave, only the energy moves with it
• Water waves, similar to a rope, have crests and troughs due to the water's up-and-down motion
• The energy moves, while the water returns to its original position

Wavelength

• Wavelength is the distance between two corresponding points on a wave
• Usually measured between two crests or two troughs
• Different waves have different wavelengths
• Wavelength and frequency relate to the amount of energy a wave has
• Short waves have more energy
• Long waves have less energy

Frequency

• Describes how many waves pass a point per second
• Measured in Hertz (Hz)
• Higher frequency waves have more energy
• Examples of waves include radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, x-rays, and gamma rays
• Each wave has a different frequency and wavelength, and these types of waves make up the electromagnetic spectrum

Electromagnetic Spectrum

• A range of all types of electromagnetic radiation
• Ordered by frequency and wavelength
• Radio waves have the longest wavelengths and lowest frequencies (lowest energy)
• Gamma rays have the shortest wavelengths and highest frequencies (highest energy)