Wave

Wave

A wave is a disturbance that transfers energy through matter or space, with little or no associated mass transport. Waves consist of oscillations or vibrations of a physical medium or a field, around relatively fixed locations. There are two main types of waves: mechanical and electromagnetic. Mechanical waves propagate through a physical matter, whose substance is being deformed. Electromagnetic waves do not require a medium, but can still propagate through one.

Types of Waves

Mechanical Waves

Mechanical waves, such as sound waves, need a medium to travel through, and their speed is dependent on the properties of that medium. They are created by a disturbance or vibration in matter, whether solid, gas, liquid, or plasma. Matter in this context includes air and even objects such as ropes or springs.

Electromagnetic Waves

Electromagnetic waves, such as light and radio waves, are waves that can travel through the vacuum of outer space. Electromagnetic waves are produced by the vibration of charged particles.

Properties of Waves

Waves have common properties—amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and speed—that define their behavior. Amplitude is the maximum displacement of points on a wave, wavelength is the distance between identical points on successive waves, frequency is the number of waves passing a given point per unit of time, and speed is the rate at which each peak moves.

Wave Interactions

Waves can interact in several ways, including interference, refraction, and diffraction. Interference involves the superposition of two waves to produce a resultant wave. Refraction is the change in direction of a wave due to a change in its speed, and Diffraction is the bending of waves around obstacles or the spreading of waves by passing them through an aperture or opening.

See Also

• Sound wave
• Electromagnetic wave
• Interference (wave propagation)
• Refraction
• Diffraction

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