What is Wave (physics)?
[[File:2006-01-14 Surface waves.jpg|250px|thumb|[[Surface wave]] in water]] A '''wave''' is a kind of [[oscillation]] (disturbance) that travels through [[space]] and [[matter]]. Wave motions transfer [[energy]] from one place to another. == Examples == Waves are found everywhere in the [[natural]] [[world]]. Examples of waves are: * [[Sound]] * [[Water]] waves * [[Seismic wave]]<nowiki/>s ([[earthquake]]s) * [[Electromagnetic]] waves ** [[light wave|Light waves]] ** [[radio wave|Radio waves]] == Properties == [[File:Wave.png|thumb|Here is a picture of a sine wave.]] Waves have [[properties]] that can be [[measure]]d. All waves can be pictured by adding [[sine wave]]s. Sine waves can be measured too. The shape of a sine wave is given by its [[amplitude]], [[phase]], [[wavelength]] and [[frequency]]. The [[speed]] that the sine wave moves can be measured. The amplitude and wavelength of the sine wave are shown in the picture. The highest point on a wave is called the crest. The lowest point is called the trough. The crest of a wave and the trough of a wave are always twice the wave's amplitude apart from each other. The part of the wave halfway in between the crest and the trough is called the baseline. Complicated waveforms (like the sound waves of music) can be made by adding up sine waves of different frequencies. This is how mp3 audio files are converted from their compressed form into the music we can hear. Complex waves can be separated into sine waves by [[Fourier analysis]]. == Waves and matter == Some waves can move through [[matter]] while others cannot. For instance, some waves can move through empty [[Space (physics)|space]], [[light wave]]s for example. Sound waves, on the other hand, cannot move through empty space. Inherently, all waves carry [[energy]] from one place to another when they move. In some applications of technology, waves may carry meaningful [[information]] from one place to another, such as news on the radio. Usually, after a wave moves through matter, the matter is the same