Types of waves
Vocabulary
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waves - repeating disturbance that transfers energy matter or space
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medium - matter through which a wave travels
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mechanical waves - (sound waves) are waves that can travel through only matter
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electromagnetic waves - waves that can travel in a vacuum, do not need a medium
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transverse waves - particles in the medium move back and forth at right angles to the direction that the wave travels
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longitudinal wave - matter in the medium moves back and forth alongthe same direction that the wave travels
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surface wave - travel across Earth's surface (ocean waves)
Learning Targets
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students will describe waves
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students will compare types of waves
Description
This picture used as a background shows a type of wave you may know now. Since this "wave" is making the trees move and is traveling through the air you can label it as mechanical. The air would be the medium used for the wave to through causing it to feel like wind.
Which one is which?
Longitudinal waves and tranverse waves are different kind of waves because longitudinal waves moves along the direction it travels and stays parallel. Tranverse waves are another type of wave that moves a perpendicular way towards its distination.
This video shows the movement of particles that are invloved in a wind wave. It states that the air is the medium used for this wave making it mechanical.These terms can be also used in water waves.
Surface waves
Surface waves are mechanical on the earth. An example would be seismic waves which are the waves that cause earthquakes.
Which wave is which?
Ever wonder what kind of waves need a meium to travel though? Mechanical waves fuch as ocean waves, sound waves, or wind need a medium to travel though. Without the medium they would not be about to get to their destination. Electromagnetic waves are other types of waves that could travel through a vacuum, such as space. This type of wave can include the light ray. Because the sun's rays travel through a wave to get to Earth.