Types of Waves

The regular and structured transmission of disturbances from one location to another is referred to as a wave. The most well-known are surface waves on water, although sound, light, and the motion of subatomic particles also have wavelike properties. The disturbance oscillates repeatedly with a set frequency and wavelength in the simplest waves. Mechanical waves, such as sound, need a medium to flow through, whereas electromagnetic waves don’t need one and can move into a vacuum. The qualities of the medium determine how a wave propagates through it.

Origin of Waves

Strong waves, visible light waves, microwaves, stadium waves, earthquake waves, sine waves, cosine waves, and other waves that we face in our daily lives are examples of what we encounter. Keep in mind that all waves are created by disturbance. Take, for example, throwing a rock into the water, which results in the active formation of a water pattern. The trough and crest are the two main sections of these water waves.

As a result, if a wave moves from one place to another, each crest is pursued up by a second crest, and the pattern repeats. Furthermore, these crests are separated by a trough, resulting in the formation of a crests & troughs pattern. Waves can be defined as a periodic disturbance propagating in a given medium, according to physics.

Properties of Waves

The following are the primary properties of waves:

• Amplitude – A wave is a way of transmitting energy. A wave’s amplitude is its height, which is usually measured in metres. It is proportional to the amount of energy that a wave transports.

• Wavelength – A wavelength is the distance between two identical points on the crests of a wave in adjacent cycles. Furthermore, it is expressed in metres.

• Period – The period of a wave is the time it takes for a particle on a medium to complete one full vibrational cycle. The period is measured in seconds or minutes as it is a unit of time.

• Frequency – The frequency of a wave is defined as the number of waves travelling through a given location in a given amount of time. A hertz (Hz) is a frequency unit that measures one wave per second.

• Speed – The speed of an object is measured by the distance travelled divided by the time it takes to travel. The wave’s speed is defined as the distance travelled by a specified point on the wave (crest) in a given amount of time. The speed of a wave is thus measured in metres per second (m/s).

Types of Waves 

Waves come in a variety of forms therefore understanding the different sorts of waves is essential. The three types of waves that are covered, together with their sub-categories, are listed below:

1. Mechanical Wave:

Mechanical waves are the outcome of the steady periodic motion of particles propagating a specific disturbance through a material medium. The disturbance is passed from one particle to the next in this way. 

To be more precise, the motion of particles in the medium transmits energy and momentum. In this instance, mass transfer is not possible. It’s important to remember that mechanical waves can’t travel through vacuum. The vibrating of a string, the surface wave created on the surface of a liquid or solid, tsunami waves, ultrasounds, earthquake P-waves, spring oscillations, and slink waves are all examples of mechanical waves.

Mechanical waves are divided into two categories:

• Transverse wave motion- The particles of the medium vibrate at right angles to the wave’s propagation direction in transverse waves. Transverse waves include string waves, surface water waves, and electromagnetic waves. Electromagnetic waves are disrupted by electric and magnetic fields oscillating at right angles to the wave’s travel direction (which includes light waves).

• Longitudinal wave motion- The medium’s particles oscillate back and forth along the energy propagation direction in these types of waves. Another term for them is “pressure waves.” Mechanical waves travelling along a longitudinal axis are known as sound waves. 

2. Electromagnetic Waves:

Electromagnetic waves are created when an electric field and a magnetic field are coupled together. These waves are perpendicular to both the electric and magnetic fields, and they are also perpendicular to each other. Electromagnetic waves can be visible when there are periodic disturbances in the magnetic and electric fields, and these waves will have a frequency that falls within the electromagnetic spectrum’s range. The propagation of electromagnetic waves does not need the use of a medium. These waves are also polarised and have a transverse nature.

 Some examples of Electromagnetic waves are: Microwaves, X-ray, Radio waves, Ultraviolet Waves. 

3. Matter Waves:

De Broglie waves are another name for matter waves. This is because they depict the wave character of all stuff, i.e., the atoms, our bodies, and so on. De Broglie equations are a set of equations that show the dual nature of matter in several ways. It’s important to keep in mind that the frequency of such waves is precisely proportional to their kinetic energy.

Conclusion

A wave transports information or energy in the form of signals from one point to another, but no physical substance makes the voyage. An element of time is added to the mix to determine the frequency of a wave. For all of our wireless communications, we are fully reliant on waves.

A wave is an energy flow or transfer that oscillates through a medium such as space or mass. Different sorts of waves include sea waves or tides, a sound we hear, a photon of light travelling, and even the movement of little plants blown by the wind.