Wave Motion and Sound

Wave Motion

A wave is a distortion in a material or medium, where the individual parts of the material only show periodic motion, while the waveform itself moves through the material. All waves have similar characteristics, and since all forms of wave motion follow the same laws and principles, knowing the fundamentals of wave motion is important in understanding sound, light, and other types of waves (Siegmund, 23).

Examples of waves

The following examples show common transverse, compression and circular waveforms.

Transverse waves

Up-and-down motion creates transverse waves

Wave in ballgame

At the ballgame, someone in the stands may start up a "wave" by standing ...