1. The Nature of Waves

2. Terms to Learn
Wave: is any disturbance that transmits energy through matter or space.
Medium: is a substance through which a wave can travel. It can be a liquid, a solid or a gas.
Transverse wave: a wave in which particles vibrate with an up-and-down motion. The particles in the medium move perpendicularly(at right angles) to the motion of the wave.

3. TRANSVERSE WAVE Highest part of wave = crest
Lowest part of wave = trough

4. WAVES CARRY ENERGY
Energy can be carried away from its source by a wave, but the material through which the wave travels (i.e. water) does not move with the wave.
Waves carry energy but not matter.

5. Terms to Learn
Longitudinal wave: the particles of the medium vibrate back and forth along the path that the wave travels. The particles in the medium move parallel to the motion of the wave
Mechanical wave: are waves that require a medium.
Electromagnetic wave: are waves that do not require a medium

6. LONGITUDINAL WAVE

7. Mechanical Waves
Sound waves
Ocean waves
Waves on guitar strings

8. ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES
Waves that DO NOT NEED A MEDIUM TO TRAVEL THROUGH are called electromagnetic waves.
An example of an electromagnetic wave is light.

9. ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES
Although electromagnetic waves do not need a medium to travel through, they may also travel through a medium like air, glass and water.
Electromagnetic waves (a.k.a. E.M. waves) travel fastest through empty space ( a vacuum).

10. Combination Waves
A transverse wave and a longitudinal wave can combine to form a surface wave.
Surface waves look like transverse waves, but the particles of the medium in a surface wave move in circles rather than up and down.