What is a wave?

• A wave is a disturbance that transfers energy progressively from one point to another.

• Though the medium through which the wave travels may experience local oscillations, particles in the medium do not travel with the wave.

• Example: When a wave pulse travels from left to right on a string, the string is displaced up and down, but the string itself does not experience any net motion.

  Figure: Damped Vibration, animation courtesy of Dr. Dan Russell, Penn State University.