Rays and Wave Fronts

Light, Sound and ripples on the water surface are ell examples if waves.

• They all transfer energy from place to place
• They do this without net motion of the medium through which they travel
• They all involve oscillations or vibrations of one sort or another

A continuous wave involves a succession of individual oscillations. A wave pulse involves just one oscillation. All waves can be classified as longitudinal or transverse. Examples are:

Wave and Type	Example of Energy Transfer
Sound Waves - Longitudinal	When the sound waves hit a surface they make it vibrate
Wave Ripples - Transverse	A floating Object Gains Gravitational Potential Energy as it Moves up and Kinetic Energy as it Moves
Light Waves - Transverse	Light waves are in the Form of photons which carry energy
Earthquake P Waves - Longitudinal	P waves compress and expand the Earths s interior
Earthquake S Waves - Transverse	S waves move the Earths surface move up and down
Waves on a Stretched String  - Transverse	Waves on a string produce sound waves when the string vibrates
Compression Waves on a Stretched Spring - Longitudinal	Compressions pass along the spring when one end is jerked