Bending Waves

Bending waves are a type of wave where a material, like a thin sheet or plate, vibrates in a way that causes it to bend back and forth. These waves move through the material, creating regions that bend upward and downward, similar to ripples on a pond. They are common in structures like beams, plates, and even in the Earth's crust during earthquakes. Bending waves carry energy but usually do not cause the material to fracture, instead resulting in oscillations that can be used to analyze the material's properties or detect flaws.