Waves
A wave can be described as a disturbance that travels through a medium from one location to another location.It is a disturbance or variation that transfers energy progressively from point to point. It may take the form of an elastic deformation, a variation of pressure, electric or magnetic intensity, electric potential, or temperature.
When a wave is present in a medium (that is, when there is a disturbance moving through a medium), the individual particles of the medium are only temporarily displaced from their rest position. There is always a force acting upon the particles that restores them to their original position.
Type of Waves:-
Transverse Waves
In transverse waves the displacement of the medium is perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the wave. A ripple on a pond and a wave on a string are easily visualized transverse waves.
Transverse waves cannot propagate in a gas or a liquid because there is no mechanism for driving motion perpendicular to the propagation of the wave.
Longitudinal Waves
In longitudinal waves the displacement of the medium is parallel to the propagation of the wave. A wave in a “slinky” is a good visualization. Sound waves in air are longitudinal waves.