Waves Glossary

A progressive wave is the transfer of energy as a result of oscillations / vibrating particles

A standing wave is a series of oscillations that do not transfer energy

A transverse wave is a wave in which the oscillations are normal / perpendicular to the
direction of propagation of energy.

A longitudinal wave is a wave in which the oscillations are in the same direction as the
direction of propagation of energy.

A polarised wave is a transverse wave in which all of the oscillations are in the same
direction

If a wave is coherent, all parts of the wave have a constant phase relationship

If a light wave is monochromatic it contains light of one frequency. White light is not
monochromatic.

A wavefront is a line joining the points on a wave that all have the same phase.

The speed of a progressive wave is the distance travelled by a wavefront per unit time.

The frequency of a progressive wave is the number of wavefronts passing a point per unit
time.

The wavelength of a progressive wave is the distance between two consecutive wavefronts.

The amplitude of a wave is the maximum displacement of a vibrating particle from its rest
position.

Diffraction is the spreading out of waves that is observed when they pass through a small
gap, or around a small obstruction (when its size has a similar order of magnitude to .)

Interference is the adding together of the amplitudes of two similar waves that come together
at one place, according to the principle of superposition.
[To interfere, waves must be of the same type and same polarisation. Interference fringes
are only observed in light if the interfering waves come from a single coherent source]

Principle of Superposition: The amplitudes of the two waves are added, such that:
two waves of the same phase produce a larger amplitude (constructive interference)
two waves of opposite phase produce a smaller (or zero) amplitude (destructive interference)

A node is a point on a standing wave where the amplitude of vibrations is zero

An antinode is a point on a standing wave where the amplitude of vibrations is maximum

The fundamental frequency is the lowest frequency standing wave that is possible in a given
situation (i.e. it has the minimum number of nodes and antinodes.)