Trace a rope flick, sound in air, a water ripple, or a quake through its material, and point out what is actually moving far and what only shifts locally. Name the medium and the displacement from rest in each example.

Compare the wave’s direction of travel with the way each piece of matter moves as the wave passes. Sort common cases into transverse waves, longitudinal waves with compressions and rarefactions, and surface waves, including rope waves, spring waves, sound, water ripples, and earthquake P, S, and surface waves.

Decide whether a source made one traveling disturbance or a continuing pattern. Use rope flicks, repeated shaking, spring compressions, sound bursts, and water ripples to distinguish a pulse from a wave train.

Apply the previous explanations in a guided problem.

Check your understanding with a short quiz.

Review this chapter with practice based on your mistakes.