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GCSE Combined Science · key term
A region of a longitudinal wave where the particles of the medium are closer together than usual.
Used by AQA and Edexcel
Specification 6.5.3, 6.6.1.1 · Paper 6
The decrease in an object's length compared with its original uncompressed length.
Revise: Deformation and the Force–Extension InvestigationThe same relationship applies to compression of an elastic object.
Paper 5, Paper 6
A region of a longitudinal wave where particles are closer together than usual.
Revise: Wave properties and velocityAs air particles move back and forth, they form alternating compressions, where particles are crowded together, and rarefactions, where particles are spread farther apart. These regions travel onwards even though individual particles only oscillate locally.
Convert extension or compression into metres before using F = ke. Give the spring constant in N/m.
In a longitudinal-wave diagram, closely spaced particles show a compression and widely spaced particles show a rarefaction.
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