Waves

Without waves our lives would be very hard. We might still be living like our ancestors or maybe even like cavemen! Waves have a big part in our daily lives. Even though people don't realize, waves are everywhere. Waves are a disturbance that transfers energy from place to another.

Three Interesting Facts: One interesting fact is though we think all waves are the same, there are many different kinds of waves. Waves are split into two groups, transverse waves and longitudinal waves. They could also be split into electromagnetic waves and mechanical waves. Another interesting facts is that mechanical waves require a medium to move energy. The three types of mediums are liquids, solids, and gasses. Transverse waves can only travel through solids whereas longitudinal waves can travel through solids, liquids, and gasses. Lastly, the crest of a wave is the high part and the trough is the low part (shown above). The wavelength is the distance between two corresponding parts of a wave. The amplitude is the maximum distance that the particles of the medium carrying the wave move away from their rest positions.

Facts From Another Source: Ocean waves are caused by the moon. Even though they can be affected by the wind, the moon has a greater impact on them. Many people don't know this. Also, when a wave is traveling through a medium, and the medium faces an obstacle where it ends, it usually encounters another medium it can travel through. One example could be sound waves echoing off a canyon. Waves are very fascinating if you try to understand them.

Opinion: I think waves are fascinating to explore and learn about. Waves are unique and the activities to explore different waves are fun and educational. Waves are a helpful part of our lives and though waves are helpful, the could also be harmful so we should be careful while working with electricity. Overall, I think studying waves is very fun!

Citation:

Image: http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satmet/modules/spectrum/images/wavelength_sm.jpg

Fact one from other source: I happened to know.

Fact two from other source: Henderson, Tom. "Lesson 3: Behavior of Waves." The Physics Classroom Turtorial. 1996-2007. 07 Jan. 2009 .