Biology
Chemistry
AP Chemistry
English
AP English Literature
Environmental Science
Dec 13, 2025
21
8 pages
Mark Torosyan @dilanyanvardanyan_gckv
Waves are all around us, from ripples in water to sound waves in the air. They're simply disturbances... Show more
A wave is a disturbance that travels through space. This might sound complicated, but it's something you experience every day!
Think about what happens when someone bumps a table with your drink on it. The bump creates a disturbance that travels through the table, through your cup, and into your drink, making the liquid move back and forth. That movement is a wave in action!
Try This! Place a pencil on water in a bowl and make small waves with your finger. Watch how the pencil moves up and down but doesn't travel across the bowl—the wave energy moves, but the water mostly stays in place!
There are two main types of waves you'll encounter in science transverse waves and longitudinal waves.
In a transverse wave, the particles move perpendicular (at right angles) to the direction the wave travels. Ocean waves are a good example—the water moves up and down while the wave itself moves horizontally.
In a longitudinal wave, particles move parallel to the direction the wave travels. Sound waves work this way—air molecules move back and forth in the same direction the sound is traveling.
Remember The key difference is in how the particles move relative to the wave's direction!
In transverse waves, particles move up and down (or side to side) while the wave itself moves forward. Imagine doing "the wave" at a sports game—you stand up and sit down, but you don't leave your seat!
Longitudinal waves work differently. Particles bunch together in compressions and spread apart in rarefactions . Think of a spring toy that gets squeezed in some parts and stretched in others.
Visualization Tip Picture a spring toy—in a transverse wave, the coils move up and down; in a longitudinal wave, they bunch together and spread apart like an accordion.
Transverse waves have several important parts that help us measure and describe them. The main components include the crest, trough, line of origin, amplitude, and wavelength.
The shape of a transverse wave resembles a series of hills and valleys. Each hill represents energy moving through the medium, and the complete pattern repeats itself over and over.
Understanding these parts helps scientists measure waves and predict how they'll behave in different situations.
Real-World Connection The parts of waves explain everything from how sunlight travels to Earth to how your favorite songs travel to your ears!
The crest is the highest point of a wave—think of it as the "peak" or top of the hill. When you see ocean waves, the crests are the parts that can crash over you!
The trough (rhymes with "off") is the lowest point of a wave—the bottom of the valley. In water waves, troughs are the low points between the wave peaks.
The line of origin is the middle reference point of a wave. It represents the position of particles when they're at rest, not being disturbed by the wave.
Quick Check When drawing a wave, always start with the line of origin (like the "equator" of your wave), then add crests above and troughs below it.
The amplitude of a transverse wave measures how "tall" the wave is. It's the distance from the line of origin to either a crest or a trough.
Amplitude is directly related to the energy of a wave. Waves with larger amplitudes carry more energy than waves with smaller amplitudes.
You can measure amplitude by finding the distance from the middle (line of origin) to the highest point (crest) OR from the middle to the lowest point (trough).
Energy Connection Amplitude determines how much energy a wave carries. A high-amplitude sound wave is louder, and a high-amplitude light wave appears brighter!
The wavelength measures the "length" of one complete wave cycle. It tells us how long a wave is from one point to the same point on the next wave.
You can measure wavelength by finding the distance from one crest to the next crest OR from one trough to the next trough. Both measurements will give you the same result.
Wavelength is related to the frequency of a wave—shorter wavelengths typically have higher frequencies, while longer wavelengths have lower frequencies.
Visualization Tip If you drew a wave on paper, the wavelength would be the distance it takes for the pattern to repeat itself exactly.
Longitudinal waves don't have visible crests and troughs like transverse waves do, making them look different but they still have wavelengths!
In a longitudinal wave, the wavelength is measured as either the distance from one compression to the next compression OR from one rarefaction to the next rarefaction.
Compressions are areas where particles are bunched together, while rarefactions are areas where particles are spread apart. These patterns repeat at regular intervals as the wave travels.
Sound Connection Sound waves are longitudinal—when you speak, your vocal cords create compressions and rarefactions in air that travel to listeners' ears!
Our AI companion is specifically built for the needs of students. Based on the millions of content pieces we have on the platform we can provide truly meaningful and relevant answers to students. But its not only about answers, the companion is even more about guiding students through their daily learning challenges, with personalised study plans, quizzes or content pieces in the chat and 100% personalisation based on the students skills and developments.
You can download the app in the Google Play Store and in the Apple App Store.
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
2
Smart Tools NEW
Transform this note into: ✓ 50+ Practice Questions ✓ Interactive Flashcards ✓ Full Mock Exam ✓ Essay Outlines
Explore the fundamental properties of waves, including amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and the differences between transverse and longitudinal waves. This summary covers key concepts such as energy transfer in waves, wave behavior, and practical examples like sound and water waves. Ideal for students studying physics and wave mechanics.
PhysicsPhysics Study Guide, Waves
Physicscardiology
PhysicsExplore practical methods for measuring wave speed in both ripple tanks and solids. This guide covers essential concepts such as wavelength, frequency, and standing waves, providing step-by-step instructions for experiments. Ideal for physics students looking to understand wave phenomena and properties.
PhysicsApp Store
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
Thomas R
iOS user
Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
Thomas R
iOS user
Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user
Mark Torosyan
@dilanyanvardanyan_gckv
Waves are all around us, from ripples in water to sound waves in the air. They're simply disturbances that travel through space, transferring energy without transferring matter. Understanding waves helps explain how we hear, see, and even communicate wirelessly!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
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A wave is a disturbance that travels through space. This might sound complicated, but it's something you experience every day!
Think about what happens when someone bumps a table with your drink on it. The bump creates a disturbance that travels through the table, through your cup, and into your drink, making the liquid move back and forth. That movement is a wave in action!
Try This! Place a pencil on water in a bowl and make small waves with your finger. Watch how the pencil moves up and down but doesn't travel across the bowl—the wave energy moves, but the water mostly stays in place!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
There are two main types of waves you'll encounter in science: transverse waves and longitudinal waves.
In a transverse wave, the particles move perpendicular (at right angles) to the direction the wave travels. Ocean waves are a good example—the water moves up and down while the wave itself moves horizontally.
In a longitudinal wave, particles move parallel to the direction the wave travels. Sound waves work this way—air molecules move back and forth in the same direction the sound is traveling.
Remember: The key difference is in how the particles move relative to the wave's direction!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
In transverse waves, particles move up and down (or side to side) while the wave itself moves forward. Imagine doing "the wave" at a sports game—you stand up and sit down, but you don't leave your seat!
Longitudinal waves work differently. Particles bunch together in compressions and spread apart in rarefactions . Think of a spring toy that gets squeezed in some parts and stretched in others.
Visualization Tip: Picture a spring toy—in a transverse wave, the coils move up and down; in a longitudinal wave, they bunch together and spread apart like an accordion.
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Transverse waves have several important parts that help us measure and describe them. The main components include the crest, trough, line of origin, amplitude, and wavelength.
The shape of a transverse wave resembles a series of hills and valleys. Each hill represents energy moving through the medium, and the complete pattern repeats itself over and over.
Understanding these parts helps scientists measure waves and predict how they'll behave in different situations.
Real-World Connection: The parts of waves explain everything from how sunlight travels to Earth to how your favorite songs travel to your ears!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
The crest is the highest point of a wave—think of it as the "peak" or top of the hill. When you see ocean waves, the crests are the parts that can crash over you!
The trough (rhymes with "off") is the lowest point of a wave—the bottom of the valley. In water waves, troughs are the low points between the wave peaks.
The line of origin is the middle reference point of a wave. It represents the position of particles when they're at rest, not being disturbed by the wave.
Quick Check: When drawing a wave, always start with the line of origin (like the "equator" of your wave), then add crests above and troughs below it.
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
The amplitude of a transverse wave measures how "tall" the wave is. It's the distance from the line of origin to either a crest or a trough.
Amplitude is directly related to the energy of a wave. Waves with larger amplitudes carry more energy than waves with smaller amplitudes.
You can measure amplitude by finding the distance from the middle (line of origin) to the highest point (crest) OR from the middle to the lowest point (trough).
Energy Connection: Amplitude determines how much energy a wave carries. A high-amplitude sound wave is louder, and a high-amplitude light wave appears brighter!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
The wavelength measures the "length" of one complete wave cycle. It tells us how long a wave is from one point to the same point on the next wave.
You can measure wavelength by finding the distance from one crest to the next crest OR from one trough to the next trough. Both measurements will give you the same result.
Wavelength is related to the frequency of a wave—shorter wavelengths typically have higher frequencies, while longer wavelengths have lower frequencies.
Visualization Tip: If you drew a wave on paper, the wavelength would be the distance it takes for the pattern to repeat itself exactly.
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Longitudinal waves don't have visible crests and troughs like transverse waves do, making them look different but they still have wavelengths!
In a longitudinal wave, the wavelength is measured as either the distance from one compression to the next compression OR from one rarefaction to the next rarefaction.
Compressions are areas where particles are bunched together, while rarefactions are areas where particles are spread apart. These patterns repeat at regular intervals as the wave travels.
Sound Connection: Sound waves are longitudinal—when you speak, your vocal cords create compressions and rarefactions in air that travel to listeners' ears!
Our AI companion is specifically built for the needs of students. Based on the millions of content pieces we have on the platform we can provide truly meaningful and relevant answers to students. But its not only about answers, the companion is even more about guiding students through their daily learning challenges, with personalised study plans, quizzes or content pieces in the chat and 100% personalisation based on the students skills and developments.
You can download the app in the Google Play Store and in the Apple App Store.
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
2
Smart Tools NEW
Transform this note into: ✓ 50+ Practice Questions ✓ Interactive Flashcards ✓ Full Mock Exam ✓ Essay Outlines
Explore the fundamental properties of waves, including amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and the differences between transverse and longitudinal waves. This summary covers key concepts such as energy transfer in waves, wave behavior, and practical examples like sound and water waves. Ideal for students studying physics and wave mechanics.
PhysicsPhysics Study Guide, Waves
Physicscardiology
PhysicsExplore practical methods for measuring wave speed in both ripple tanks and solids. This guide covers essential concepts such as wavelength, frequency, and standing waves, providing step-by-step instructions for experiments. Ideal for physics students looking to understand wave phenomena and properties.
PhysicsApp Store
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
Thomas R
iOS user
Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
Thomas R
iOS user
Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user
Algebra
Calculus 1
Algebra 1
Overige