A trough is the bottom of a transverse wave or the point of greatest rarefaction. The node is a halfway point between a crest and trough. A nodal line shows the original position of the matter that carries the wave. Wavelength is the distance from any point on a wave to the same point on the next wave. Amplitude is measured from a crest to the nodal line or from a trough to the nodal line.
Frequency is the number of waves that pass a given point each second.
As a result of their activities, students should develop an understanding of interactions of energy and matter. Identify and label the parts and characteristics of a wave. Students will identify the transverse wave and the compression wave from a drawing on an overhead transparency or form a Power Point presentation. Pair each student with a partner. Have them stretch a slinky along the floor for a distance of 3 meters and place a small piece of tape on the slinky about 1 meter from one of the pair.