Wave

 Wave is an flow or transfer of energy in the form of oscillation through a medium – space or
mass. Sea waves or tides, sound which we hear, photon of light travelling and even the
movement of small plants blown by the wind are all examples of different types of waves.
 A wave can be described as a disturbance that travels through a medium from one location
to another location. Consider a slinky wave as an example of a wave.
Types of Waves
 Longitudinal waves
 Transverse waves
 Surface waves

Some other types of waves which occur in our day to day lives.
 Electromagnetic Waves
 Mechanical Wave
Longitudinal waves
 In this type of wave, the movement of the particle are parallel to the motion of the
energy i.e. the displacement of the medium is in the same direction to which the
wave is moving. Example – Sound Waves, Pressure Waves.
Transverse waves
 When the movement of the particles are at right angles or perpendicular to
the motion of the energy, then this type of wave is known as Transverse
wave. Light is an example of a transverse wave. Some of the other examples
are – ‘Polarized’ waves & Electromagnetic waves.
Surface waves
 In this type, the particles travel in a circular motion. These waves usually
occur at interfaces. Waves in the ocean and ripples in a cup of water are
examples of such waves.
Electromagnetic Waves
 Wave of electric and magnetic fields that propagate at the speed of light through
a vacuum is known an electromagnetic wave. Electromagnetic radiation consists
of this type of waves.
Mechanical Wave
 A mechanical wave is a wave that transfers energy through a medium. This is a contrast
to the electromagnetic wave. Electromagnetic waves can travel longer distances with
higher speed but due to the medium of transfer, mechanical waves are limited.
Waves have a defined frequency

 As well as a defined speed, every wave has a frequency. This is the number of wavelengths
that travel past a point in 1 second of time. Frequency is measured in hertz (waves per
second). For each type of wave, a longer wavelength means a lower frequency – for
electromagnetic waves, for example, microwaves have a much lower frequency than UV
waves.

 Waves also have a defined period. This is the time it takes for the wave to undergo one
complete oscillation or one complete motion. The wave period is inversely proportional to
the frequency – the longer the period, the lower the frequency.
Waves have a defined wavelength
 Every wave has a specific wavelength. This is defined as the length from one wave crest to the
next.
 Different kinds of waves have widely varying wavelengths. In water, surf waves have
wavelengths of 30–50 m, and tsunamis have much longer wavelengths (about 100km). Sound
waves vary in wavelength according to the pitch of the sound – humans can hear sound with
wavelengths between 70 mm and 70 m. Different kinds of electromagnetic waves vary greatly
in wavelength, from the long wavelength of radio waves (about 10 m) to the much shorter
wavelengths of visible light (less than a millionth of a metre – usually described as hundreds of
nanometres) and X-rays (less than a billionth of a metre).
All waves have an amplitude

 The amplitude of a wave is normally defined as the maximum displacement of

the particles within the wave from their normal equilibrium positions. For water
waves, the amplitude of a wave is the distance between the wave crest and the
normal water level.
 People sometimes talk about the wave height, which is the vertical distance
from the wave crest to the wave trough, instead of amplitude.