What is Wave?

[Fu-Kwun Hwang]

A wave is a disturbance or oscillation that travels through space(dr) and matter with time delay(dt).

The speed of the wave is v=dr/dt. So the delay in time is proportional to the distance traveled. (dr = v *dt).

CLick play at the following simulation.

The blue dot will move up and down, the same disturbance travel to the right.

You can change the dx or dt to see how the wave speed changed
(it means the wave traveled in dfferent media, the wave speed is determined by the media the wave travel through).

You can also drag the blue dot by mouse( up and down), and find out how wave is formed.

Embed a running copy of this simulation
<applet code='users.ntnu.fkh.wave_spacetime_pkg.wave_spacetimeApplet.class' archive='http://www.phy.ntnu.edu.tw/ntnujava/ejsuser/2/ejs_wave_spacetime.jar' name='wave_spacetime10282' id='wave_spacetime10282' width='764' height='374' mayscript=true><param name='draggable' value='true'></applet>
Embed a running copy link(show simulation in a popuped window)
<a href='http://www.phy.ntnu.edu.tw/ntnujava/msg.php?smfejs=10282' target='smfejs'>Run simulation</a>

Full screen applet or Problem viewing java?Add http://www.phy.ntnu.edu.tw/ to exception site list
Press the Alt key and the left mouse button to drag the applet off the browser and onto the desktop. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Taiwan License

• Please feel free to post your ideas about how to use the simulation for better teaching and learning.
• Post questions to be asked to help students to think, to explore.
• Upload worksheets as attached files to share with more users.

Let's work together. We can help more users understand physics conceptually and enjoy the fun of learning physics!

[perezelen]

A wave can be described as a disturbance that travels through a medium from one location to another location.