What Are Mechanical Waves?
Mechanical waves
Waves that use a medium to travel thought are called Mechanical waves. There are two types of mechanical waves Sound, and Energy waves.
Sound Waves
Sound waves are waves that the use sound as a medium. The vibration in a medium's frequency makes we call a sound. The changes in frequency and wave height add depth and clarity to what you are hearing. If The frequency in a wave that never changed you would hear nothing but a long beep.
The vibrations move the mediums move that they travel in. Although most of the time the particles of the medium are so small we can see the movement. So all sound waves are Energy waves but energy waves are not sound waves. Sound waves only move Transversely unlike a energy wave moves a both transversely and longitudinal.
Energy Waves
Waves that move things are also called energy waves. As the energy moves though the object it reacts to the energy and moves. The particles move with the wave and then back to there original position. They do this over and over until the waves energy stops.
In energy waves the back and forth motion is either Longitudinal or Transverse.
Waves that use a medium to travel thought are called Mechanical waves. There are two types of mechanical waves Sound, and Energy waves.
Sound Waves
Sound waves are waves that the use sound as a medium. The vibration in a medium's frequency makes we call a sound. The changes in frequency and wave height add depth and clarity to what you are hearing. If The frequency in a wave that never changed you would hear nothing but a long beep.
The vibrations move the mediums move that they travel in. Although most of the time the particles of the medium are so small we can see the movement. So all sound waves are Energy waves but energy waves are not sound waves. Sound waves only move Transversely unlike a energy wave moves a both transversely and longitudinal.
Energy Waves
Waves that move things are also called energy waves. As the energy moves though the object it reacts to the energy and moves. The particles move with the wave and then back to there original position. They do this over and over until the waves energy stops.
In energy waves the back and forth motion is either Longitudinal or Transverse.
What are Longitudinal Waves?
A longitudinal wave is a wave the moves up and down in a wavy pattern. In the moving picture below shows a longitudinal wave and how it would move if you looked at it form above. None of the dots are moving with the wave they all are moving back and forth.
Compression
Compression is the point where the particles in the wave come together.
Rarefaction
Rarefaction is the point in the wave where the particles are stretched out.
Wavelength
In a longitudinal wave you can find the wave's length by finding to points of compression and measuring how far they are apart.
Compression
Compression is the point where the particles in the wave come together.
Rarefaction
Rarefaction is the point in the wave where the particles are stretched out.
Wavelength
In a longitudinal wave you can find the wave's length by finding to points of compression and measuring how far they are apart.
What are Transverse Waves?
Transverse waves are waves that move in a up and down motion. If you look in the moving picture below you can see how none of the particles move forward the just move up and down.
Crest
The Crest of the wave is the highest point of a wave. You can find it by look for the peek of a wave.
Trough
The trough is the lowest point of the wave. You can always find it by looking for the lowest point of the wave.
Wavelength
You can find a transverse wave's length by finding two crests of the wave and measuring the distance between the two crests.
Rest Position
The rest position the a line that moves thought out the middled of a wave. It is the where the particles would be if they weren't moving.
Amplitude
To find the amplitude of a wave you must find the distance between the resting position and the crest. These show how much power a wave has.
Crest
The Crest of the wave is the highest point of a wave. You can find it by look for the peek of a wave.
Trough
The trough is the lowest point of the wave. You can always find it by looking for the lowest point of the wave.
Wavelength
You can find a transverse wave's length by finding two crests of the wave and measuring the distance between the two crests.
Rest Position
The rest position the a line that moves thought out the middled of a wave. It is the where the particles would be if they weren't moving.
Amplitude
To find the amplitude of a wave you must find the distance between the resting position and the crest. These show how much power a wave has.
Sources
http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/demos/waves/wavemotion.html
http://www.google.com/imgres?num=10&um=1&hl=en&biw=960&bih=617&tbm=isch&tbnid=mZoA-juYQZ3iZM:&imgrefurl=http://vladstudio.deviantart.com/art/Sound-Wave-128606284%3Foffset%3D10&docid=-jhiXV-pMDj29M&imgurl=http://www.deviantart.com/download/128606284/Sound_Wave_by_vladstudio.jpg&w=1600&h=1200&ei=08aOUJHPNsnO2wXwvYDIDA&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=399&sig=105209722131186055869&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=141&tbnw=224&&ndsp=11&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:0,i:95&tx=63&ty=51&IP=204.38.174.3&CAT=EXART&USER=IPGROUP&CE=0
http://www.kirksville.k12.mo.us/khs/teacher_web/alternative/waves.html
http://science.yourdictionary.com/wave
http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/demos/waves/wavemotion.html
http://www.google.com/imgres?num=10&um=1&hl=en&biw=960&bih=617&tbm=isch&tbnid=mZoA-juYQZ3iZM:&imgrefurl=http://vladstudio.deviantart.com/art/Sound-Wave-128606284%3Foffset%3D10&docid=-jhiXV-pMDj29M&imgurl=http://www.deviantart.com/download/128606284/Sound_Wave_by_vladstudio.jpg&w=1600&h=1200&ei=08aOUJHPNsnO2wXwvYDIDA&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=399&sig=105209722131186055869&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=141&tbnw=224&&ndsp=11&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:0,i:95&tx=63&ty=51&IP=204.38.174.3&CAT=EXART&USER=IPGROUP&CE=0
http://www.kirksville.k12.mo.us/khs/teacher_web/alternative/waves.html
http://science.yourdictionary.com/wave