vibrations- An oscillation, or repeating back-and-forth motion, about equilibrium position.
Waves- A "wiggle in space and time"; a disturbance that repeats regularly in space and time and that is transmitted progressively from one place to the next with no actual transport of matter.
wave period- The time in seconds between successive wave crests as they pass a stationary point on the ocean surface, such as a buoy.
crests- One of the places in a wave where the wave is highest of the disturbance is greater.
troughs- One of the places in a wave where the wave is lowest, of the disturbance is greater, in the opposite direction from the crest.
amplitude- The distance from the midpoint to the maximum(crest) of a wave or, equivalently, form the midpoint to the minimum(trough).
Wavelength- The distance from the top of the crest of a wave to the top of the following crest, or equivalently, the distance between successive identical parts of the wave.h
frequency- The number of events (cycles, vibrations, oscillations, or any repeated event) per time; measured in hertz(or events per time). Inverse of period.
hertz- The SI unit of frequency. One hertz (Hz) in one vibration per second.
transverse waves- A wave with vibration at right angles to the direction the wave is traveling.
Longitudinal waves- A wave is which the vibration is in the same direction as that in which the wave is traveling, rather that at right angles to it.
Doppler effect-The change in frequency of a wave due to the motion of the source or of the receiver.
Blue shift-An increase in the measured frequency of light from an approaching source; called the blue shift because the apparent increase is toward the high-frequency, or blue, end of the color spectrum. Also occurs when an observer approaches a source.
Red shift- A decrease in the measured frequency of light (or other radiation) from a receding source; called red shift because the decrease is towards the low-frequency, or red, end of the color spectrum.
Shock wave-A cone-shaped wave produced by an object moving at supersonic speed through a fluid.
Sonic boom- The sharp crack heard when the shock wave that sweeps behind a supersonic aircraft reaches the listener.