Page 47 - Science Course 3 (Book 2)

Mo10-L1b: What are the Properties of Waves?

Although water waves look like transverse waves, SUMMARY
the water moves in circles.

What are Waves and How are They Made?
Water waves are a combination of transverse and
longitudinal waves. A wave is a disturbance that transfers energy
from one place to another without
transferring matter.

A wave can have a disturbance parallel or
perpendicular to the direction the wave travels.
Some waves have a combination of the two
directions.

Path of
Wave Direction
Water
particles Mo10–L1b What are the Properties of Waves?

KEY CONCEPTS:
Water waves form due to the friction between the 1. How can you describe waves by their properties?
wind at sea and the water. 2. What are some ways in which waves interact with
matter?
Energy from the wind transfers to the water as the
water moves toward land.

Water waves are mechanical waves. Vocabulary A-Z
Let us learn some vocabulary

frequency
the number of wavelengths that pass by a point
each second.

Seismic waves are waves formed when rock beneath
Earth’s surface suddenly shifts.

Seismic waves can be longitudinal, transverse, or a
combination of the two.
amplitude
the maximum distance a wave varies from its rest
position.

amplitude

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