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.

Types of Waves

There are two main types of waves:

1. Mechanical Waves: These waves require a medium to travel through. The particles of the medium oscillate, but they do not travel with the wave. Examples include sound waves, water waves, and seismic waves.

2. Electromagnetic Waves: These waves do not require a medium and can travel through the vacuum of space. They are created by the vibration of electric charges. Examples include light, radio waves, X-rays, and microwaves.

Wave Properties

- Amplitude (A): The maximum displacement or distance moved by a point on a vibrating body or wave measured from its equilibrium position. - Wavelength (λ): The spatial period of the wave – the distance over which the wave's shape repeats. - Frequency (f): The number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit of time. It is measured in Hertz (Hz). - Period (T): The time for one complete oscillation. It is the reciprocal of frequency (T = 1/f). - Speed (v): How fast the wave propagates. It is related to wavelength and frequency by the equation v = fλ.