Waves in air, fluids and solids an mechanical waves.

What can waves transfer without transferring matter?

Energy from one place to another.

What can waves be?

Transverse or longitudinal.

What happens for waves in water and air?

It’s the wave and not the substance that moves.

What happens when a light object ‘s dropped into still water?

It produces ripples on the water which spread out, but neither the object nor the water moves with the ripples.

What are the ripples?

Ripples are waves.

What happens when you speak?

Your voice box vibrates, making sound waves travel through the air.

What happens to the air when you speak?

The air itself doesn’t travel away from your throat, otherwise a vacuum would be created.

What do mechanical waves require?

A substance to travel through.

What’s the substance?

A substance is a medium.

What are examples of mechanical waves?

It includes sound waves, water waves, waves on springs and ropes and seismic waves produced by earthquakes.

What happens when waves travel through a substance?

The particles in the substance oscillate and pass energy on to the neighbouring particles.

What does oscillate mean?

To vibrate.