wave motion: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	wave propagation

Photos and Videos

Diagram with three panels showing sound wave representations: (A) evenly spaced blue lines for air at equilibrium, (B) alternating dense and sparse blue lines for compressions and rarefactions, and (C) a yellow sine wave illustrating amplitude and wavelength.

Diagram of the electromagnetic spectrum showing different types of waves arranged by wavelength and frequency, from gamma rays and X-rays to ultraviolet, visible light, infrared, microwave, TV/FM radio, shortwave radio, AM radio, and longwave radio.

Understanding wave interference through sound experiments

Understanding frequency and amplitude in sound

Watch a suspended vibrating spring to learn about the propagation of sound waves

See All Videos and Images →

Topics

wave radiation Brownian motion vibration phase absorption interference frequency scattering wavenumber period

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Italian-born physicist Dr. Enrico Fermi draws a diagram at a blackboard with mathematical equations. circa 1950.

Physics and Natural Law