Wave Meaning and Characteristics

Wave Meaning

• A wave is an oscillating, regular distortion through spacetime.
• Waves can be classified into two main categories: mechanical waves and electromagnetic waves.

Parts of a Wave

• A wave has crests (high points) and troughs (low points).
• The distance between two consecutive crests is called the wavelength.
• Amplitude is the maximum displacement of a wave, measured in meters (m).

How to Measure a Wave

• Waves can be measured using their amplitude or frequency.
• Frequency is the number of cycles of a wave per unit time, measured in Hertz (Hz).
• Frequency can be calculated using the equation: f = 1/T, where T is the period of the wave.

Types of Waves

• Mechanical waves require a medium to propagate, examples include sound waves and seismic waves.
• Electromagnetic waves can travel through a vacuum, examples include radio waves, microwaves, and light waves.

Mechanical Waves

• Mechanical waves transfer energy back and forth from the medium they are traveling through.
• There are three types of mechanical waves:
  • Transverse waves: move perpendicularly to the direction of propagation, example is a sine wave.
  • Compression waves (longitudinal waves): propagate through a medium by displacing it in a parallel direction.
  • Torsional waves: displace the medium perpendicularly to the direction of propagation with rotational motion.

Electromagnetic Waves

• EM waves are composed of oscillating magnetic and electric fields.
• EM waves do not need a medium to propagate through, but can travel through air, water, and earth.
• EM waves can travel through a vacuum at the speed of light (c = 299,792,458 m/s).
• EM waves have different wavelengths, ranging from gamma rays to radio waves, including X-rays, infrared light, ultraviolet radiation, and the visible spectrum.