The maximum displacement of a vibrating material. In wave motion, amplitude is the "size" of a wave, an indicator of the energy and intensity of the wave.
One complete oscillation. In wave motion, this is equivalent to the movement of a wave from trough to crest and back to trough.
The total force on an electrically charged particle, which is a combination of forces due toelectrical and/or magnetic fields around the particle. Electromagnetic force reflects electromagnetic interaction, one of the four fundamental interactions in nature.
The complete range of electromagnetic waves on a continuous distribution from a very low range of frequencies and energylevels, with a correspondingly long wavelength, to a very high range of frequencies and energy levels, with a correspondingly short wavelength. Included on the electromagnetic spectrum are long-wave and short-wave radio; microwaves; infrared, visible, and ultraviolet light; x rays, and gamma rays.
A transverse wave with electrical and magnetic fields that emanate from it. The directions of these fields are perpendicular to one another, and both are perpendicular to the line of propagation for the wave itself.
The branch of physics devoted to the study of electrical and magnetic phenomena.
A region of space in which it is possible to define the physical properties of each point in the region at any given moment in time.
In wave motion, frequency is the number of waves passing through a given point during the interval of one second. The higher the frequency, the shorter the wavelength. Measured in Hertz, frequency is mathematically related to wave speed, wavelength, and period.
The basic mode by which particles interact. There are four known fundamental interactions in nature: gravitational, electromagnetic, strong nuclear, and weaknuclear.
The repeated movement of a particle about a position of equilibrium, or balance.
A unit for measuring frequency, named after nineteenth-century German physicist Heinrich Rudolf Hertz (1857-1894). High frequencies are expressed in terms of kilohertz (kHz; 10 3 or1,000 cycles per second); megahertz (MHz;10 6 or 1 million cycles per second); and gigahertz (GHz; 10 9 or 1 billion cycles per second.)
Intensity is the rate at which a wave moves energy per unit of cross-sectional area.
A type of harmonic motion, typically periodic, in one or more dimensions.
For wave motion, a period is the amount of time required to complete one full cycle. Period is mathematically related to frequency, wavelength, and wave speed.
Motion that is repeated at regular intervals. These intervals are known as periods.
A wave in which a uniform series of crests and troughs follow one after the other in regular succession.
A particle of electromagnetic radiation carrying a specific amount of energy, measured in electron volts (eV). For parts of the electromagnetic spectrum with a low frequency and long wavelength, photon energy is relatively low; but for parts with a high frequency and shortwave length, the value of photon energy is very high.
The act or state of traveling from one place to another.
The transfer of energy by means of electromagnetic waves, which require no physical medium (for example, water or air) for the transfer. Earth receives the Sun's energy, via the electromagnetic spectrum, by means of radiation.
A methodused by scientists for writing extremely large numbers. This usually involves a coefficient, or factor, of a single digit followed by a decimal point and up to three decimalplaces, multiplied by 10 to a given exponent. Thus, instead of writing 75,120,000, the preferred scientific notation is 7.512 · 10 7 . To visualize the value of very largemultiples of 10, it is helpful to remember that the value of 10 raised to any power n is the same as 1 followed by that number of zeroes. Hence 10 25 , for instance, is simply 1 followed by 25 zeroes.
A wave in which the vibration or motion is perpendicular to the direction in which the wave is moving.
The distance between a crest and the adjacent crest, or the trough and an adjacent trough, of a wave. Wavelength, symbolized λ (the Greek letter lambda) is mathematically related to wave speed, period, and frequency.
A type of harmonic motion that carries energy from one place to another without actually moving anymatter.
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