Editing Wave (section)

== Mechanical waves ==
{{Main|Mechanical wave}}
A mechanical wave is an oscillation of [[matter]], and therefore transfers energy through a [[transmission medium|medium]].<ref>Giancoli, D. C. (2009) Physics for scientists & engineers with modern physics (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall.</ref> While waves can move over long distances, the movement of the medium of transmission—the material—is limited. Therefore, the oscillating material does not move far from its initial position. Mechanical waves can be produced only in media which possess [[Elasticity (physics)|elasticity]] and [[inertia]]. There are three types of mechanical waves: [[transverse wave]]s, [[longitudinal wave]]s, and [[surface wave]]s.

=== Waves on strings ===
{{Main|String vibration}}
The transverse vibration of a string is a function of tension and inertia, and is constrained by the length of the string as the ends are fixed. This constraint limits the steady state modes that are possible, and thereby the frequencies.
The speed of a transverse wave traveling along a [[vibrating string]] (''v'') is directly proportional to the square root of the [[Tension (mechanics)|tension]] of the string (''T'') over the [[linear mass density]] (''μ''):
: <math> v = \sqrt{\frac{T}{\mu}}, </math>
where the linear density ''μ'' is the mass per unit length of the string.

=== Acoustic waves ===
{{Main|Acoustic wave}}

Acoustic or [[sound]] waves are compression waves which travel as body waves at the speed given by:
: <math> v = \sqrt{\frac{B}{\rho_0}}, </math>
or the square root of the adiabatic [[bulk modulus]] divided by the ambient density of the medium (see [[speed of sound]]).

=== Water waves ===
[[File:Shallow water wave.gif|thumb|right|400px]]

{{Main|Water waves}}
* [[ripple tank|Ripples]] on the surface of a pond are actually a combination of transverse and longitudinal waves; therefore, the points on the surface follow orbital paths.
* [[Sound]], a mechanical wave that propagates through gases, liquids, solids and plasmas.
* [[Inertial waves]], which occur in rotating fluids and are restored by the [[Coriolis effect]].
* [[Ocean surface wave]]s, which are perturbations that propagate through water.

=== Body waves ===
{{main|Body wave (seismology)}}
Body waves travel through the interior of the medium along paths controlled by the material properties in terms of density and modulus (stiffness). The density and modulus, in turn, vary according to temperature, composition, and material phase. This effect resembles the refraction of light waves. Two types of particle motion result in two types of body waves: Primary and Secondary waves.

=== Seismic waves ===
{{Main|Seismic wave}}
Seismic waves are waves of energy that travel through the Earth's layers, and are a result of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, magma movement, large landslides and large man-made explosions that give out low-frequency acoustic energy. They include body waves—the primary ([[P wave]]s) and secondary waves ([[S wave]]s)—and surface waves, such as [[Rayleigh waves]], [[Love waves]], and [[Stoneley wave]]s.

=== Shock waves ===
[[File:Transonico-en.svg|class=skin-invert-image|thumb|right|300 px|Formation of a shock wave by a plane]]

{{Main|Shock wave}}

A shock wave is a type of propagating disturbance. When a wave moves faster than the local [[speed of sound]] in a [[fluid]], it is a shock wave. Like an ordinary wave, a shock wave carries energy and can propagate through a medium; however, it is characterized by an abrupt, nearly discontinuous change in [[pressure]], [[temperature]] and [[density]] of the medium.<ref>
{{citation
 | last = Anderson | first = John D. Jr.
 | title = Fundamentals of Aerodynamics | orig-year = 1984 | edition = 3rd
 | publisher =  [[McGraw-Hill|McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math]] |date=January 2001
 | isbn = 978-0-07-237335-6
}}</ref>

{{See also|Sonic boom|Cherenkov radiation}}

=== Shear waves ===
{{main|Shear wave}}
Shear waves are body waves due to shear rigidity and inertia. They can only be transmitted through solids and to a lesser extent through liquids with a sufficiently high viscosity.

=== Other ===
* Waves of [[Traffic wave|traffic]], that is, propagation of different densities of motor vehicles, and so forth, which can be modeled as kinematic waves<ref name=Lighthill>{{cite journal |author1 = M.J. Lighthill | author1-link=James Lighthill |author2 = G.B. Whitham | author2-link=Gerald B. Whitham |year = 1955 |title = On kinematic waves. II. A theory of traffic flow on long crowded roads |journal = Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A |volume = 229 | issue=1178 |pages = 281–345 |bibcode = 1955RSPSA.229..281L |doi = 10.1098/rspa.1955.0088 | citeseerx=10.1.1.205.4573 | s2cid=18301080 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |doi = 10.1287/opre.4.1.42 |author = P.I. Richards |year = 1956 |title = Shockwaves on the highway |journal = Operations Research |volume = 4 |issue = 1 |pages = 42–51 }}</ref>
* [[metachronal rhythm|Metachronal wave]] refers to the appearance of a traveling wave produced by coordinated sequential actions.