Wave Definition - What it is, Meaning and Concept

From the Latin unda , a wave is a movement that expands through a liquid .It is the peaks that are created by affecting the surface of a fluid (by throwing a rock into a lake or putting sugar in tea, for example) or other means.

The waves are also the curves that occur, either naturally or artificially, on certain objects that enjoy flexibility : "I'm going to the hairdresser, since I want a wave hairstyle" , "What I like most about this dress are its waves" .

An electromagnetic wave consists in the expansion of electromagnetic radiation through space.It should be noted that they do not require a material medium: the light waves are part of the electromagnetic waves The microwave ovens , the WiFi connectivity and the Bluetooth system are systems that also use electromagnetic waves.

The mechanical waves , on the other hand, are tension alterations that propagate along a material medium.The sound waves and the seismic waves they are part of the mechanical waves.

A gravitational wave is the undulation that occurs in the spacetime dimension and is generated by the acceleration of a massive body.This concept arose from the theory of general relativity, although still could not register any wave of this type.

The distance or the spatial period between one pulse and another is called the wavelength.Generally, its measurement is carried out taking into account two consecutive points that have the same phase, such as two maximums, two minimums, or two that cross zero, as long as they go in the same direction.Two rays of light that run at the same speed, such as those of blue and red light, can present differences in the time it takes to their respective electric fields increase and decrease; This results in different frequencies and wavelengths.

This concept applies to all types of waves, whether they are water in the sea, air pressure or electromagnetic radiation.Also, when taken to a graph, it is easy to understand, since it does not present more difficulty than measure the distance between two points arranged on the X and Y axes, for example.

In some cases, the distance traveled by the particles or the means by which the wave propagates does not correspond to the actual path of that wave, which constitutes its length.Such is the case of sea waves, since its molecules show a vertical movement, while the wave moves horizontally.

To cite some examples very close to us, the sound has a wavelength that goes from a value less than 2 cm to around 17 meters, within the spectrum of tones that the human ear is able to perceive; the light with which we light our homes, on the other hand, shows lengths that range between 400 and 700 nanometers, in the case of violet and red light respectively.

The representation of the wavelength in an equation is given by means of the Greek letter lambda and the official unit of measure is the meter, being able to use some of its submultiples, such as the millimeter and the nanometer, according to the needs that arise from the magnitudes in question.

In Argentina , finally, wave can be used as a synonym for fashion or trend : “Use piercings and get tattoos this wave among teenagers ", " I want my company to join the ecological wave and start recycling their papers ".