Chapter 17 Mechanical Waves

Study guide Ch. 17 & 18 Waves, Light & EM Spectrum Name___________________________

Study Your Notes, textbook, worksheets, workbook pages & labs to fill in this information:

Chapter 17:

Mechanical Waves: a disturbance in matter that carries energy from one place to another

Transverse Waves: a wave that causes the medium to vibrate at right angles to the direction in which the wave travels.

Surface waves: a wave that travels along a surface separating two media

Longitudinal waves: a wave tin which the vibration of the medium is parallel to the direction to wave travels

Sound waves: longitudinal waves

Diffraction: the bending of a wave as it moves around an obstacle or passes through a narrow opening

Refraction: the bending of a wave as it enters a new medium at an angle.
Wavelength: the distance between a point on one wave and the same point on the next cycle of the

Frequency: the number of complete cycles in a given time

The Doppler Effect: a change in sound frequency caused by the motion of the sound source, motion of the listener, or both

Constructive interference: when two or more waves combine to produce a wave with a larger displacement

Destructive interference: when two or more waves combine to produce a wave with smaller