Wave Motion

Abstract

The world is continually criss-crossed by waves of all sorts. Water waves, whether giant rollers in the middle of the ocean or gently formed rain ripples on a still pond, are sources of wonder or pleasure. If the Earth’s crust shifts, violent waves in the solid Earth cause tremors thousands of kilometers away. A musician plucks a guitar string, and sound waves pulse against the ears. Wave disturbances may come in a concentrated bundle, like the shock front from an airplane flying at supersonic speeds. Or the disturbances may come in succession like the train of waves sent out from a steadily vibrating source, such as a bell or a string.