Waves can be mechanical or electromagnetic, and their vibrations can be perpendicular or longitudinal.
Wave Concept
When we tie the end of a rope to a pole, take the other end and start causing disturbances, shaking the rope up and down, a notch will appear that will move along the rope.
The disturbance caused is called a pulse and its propagation constitutes a wave.
So, we see that a wave is a pulse that propagates.
Nature of Waves
Any type of wave does not transport matter. A wave is a pulse that travels from one point to another transporting energy without transporting matter.
Waves can be classified with respect to their nature of vibration as mechanical and electromagnetic.
Mechanical waves are all those that depend on a medium to propagate and arise as a result of the deformation of an elastic medium.
Electromagnetic waves propagate in a vacuum and, in some media, arise as a result of oscillating electrical charges.
Sound is a mechanical wave
The sun emits several bands of electromagnetic waves, including the ultraviolet.
Types of waves
Waves can also be classified with respect to their type, when vibration direction and wave propagation are compared.
Waves in which the vibration direction is perpendicular to the propagation direction are transverse waves.
Waves in which the vibration direction coincides with the propagation direction are longitudinal waves.
Transverse and longitudinal waves at the same time are called mixed waves.
