Easy, yet all so hard question...

Can anybody tell me in 5 words what a wave is? It's something everyone knows but no one can actualy tell you what it is. I'm talking about waves from the EM Spectrum, Sound Waves and just Waves on the Ocean

[hyyyper]

A wave is a disturbance that propagates in a periodically repeating fashion, often transferring energy. A mechanical wave exists in a medium (which on deformation is capable of producing elastic restoring forces) through which they travel and can transfer energy from one place to another without any of the particles of the medium being displaced permanently; there is no associated mass transport. Instead, any particular point oscillates around a fixed position. However, electromagnetic radiation, and probably gravitational radiation are not mechanical waves, and can travel through a vacuum, without a medium.

Yes, that was so close to using 5 words there hyyyper you blew my mind! Maybe try using your brain and not google next time?

[hyyyper]

Originally posted by Edge

Yes, that was so close to using 5 words there hyyyper you blew my mind! Maybe try using your brain and not google next time?

it was wikipedia[lol]

i don't think waves can be 'something', because they are one of the two basic thing in our universe, there is matter in the form of atoms, or small quarks, and there are waves....i don't think there's a defention of matter also

[gouldy]

What's a brain?

It's this kinda thing, that does errr...like stuff and such and it's like in your head where your brain is

[hyyyper]

Originally posted by gouldy

What's a brain?

a brain translates weak electric signals coming from your senses into other signals who are connected with muscles with the loosen or thighten,

at least, that's what we learn in biology class

wave - moving water that travels fast

"A constant translational periodic oscillation"

^5 words... that's as good as I can do.

wave- something with a moving frequency

I have no clue

[hyyyper]

Originally posted by CoAsTeRkRazY

wave - moving water that travels fast

guess your title says it all

water going up and down

you read my mind....

an ocean current

ha 3 words

Okay, let's get this straight. Waves are not just water waves in the ocean, think radio waves and sound waves that you can't see, okay?

Originally posted by Jakizle

water going up and down

Waves are not going up and down...infact they only move side to side untill acted upon by another wave which then they are forced up but techincally they dont move up and down. You do if you are in the water, but the wave just keeps moving forward in the direction it was originally moving.

[coolbeans326]

I can some it up in one phrase.... "Who gives a crap?"
But realy, and idea so complex like that can not be summed up in 5 words. An idea that can be summed up in five words is this, "The ball is bright red." See how basic that was? But a wave is more of an understanding, and in order to really demonstrate what it is, you really gotta have a slinky, and a lot of words to describe it so people understand.

Im learning waves in chemistry, at least I was, my teacher is failing me yet I have a perfect homework grade, all because of one lab i can still make it into a B or an A, CJD is right! i think....my chem teacher is psyco!

Originally posted by coolbeans326

you really gotta have a slinky, and a lot of words to describe it so people understand.

and if you have a long enough slinky you can demonstrate how certains waves can pass through each other with little disturbance [:D]

Originally posted by RRollergod

an ocean current

ha 3 words

wave- "your mom!" haha 2 words beat that!!!!

lol jk ... wave - "a wave is a wave"

Superposition of waves is always terrific to experiment with, even the word sounds cool 'Superposition'

So anyone want me to enlighten them yet? I'm enjoying everyone debating it

Radio Wave=Sine wave travelling through zero.

Length, Speed, Period, Frequency, and Amplitude.