Mechanical Waves

Mechanical waves are disturbances that transfer energy through a medium, such as air, water, or solids, without transporting matter. They occur when particles in the medium vibrate or move, passing that energy to neighboring particles. Examples include sound waves traveling through air, ripples on a pond, and vibrations in a guitar string. These waves require a medium to move through; they cannot travel through a vacuum. Mechanical waves can be categorized into transverse waves, where particles move perpendicular to wave direction (like water waves), and longitudinal waves, where particles move parallel to wave direction (like sound waves).