Question
what is the medium for a wave
Answers
GPT-5 mini
A medium is the material substance or region through which a wave travels and by which the wave’s energy is transmitted.
Key points
- Mechanical waves (sound, water waves, waves on a string, seismic S-waves) require a material medium — solids, liquids or gases — because they propagate via interactions between particles of the medium.
- The properties of the medium (density, elasticity, tension, etc.) determine the wave’s speed and behaviour (e.g., reflection, refraction, attenuation).
- Electromagnetic waves (light, radio, X-rays) do not require a material medium and can travel through a vacuum; they can also propagate through materials, where their speed and direction depend on the medium’s optical properties.
- Examples: sound travels through air, water, and solids; waves on a rope need the rope as the medium; light can travel through empty space.
If you want, I can give formulas for wave speed in particular media (e.g., on a string, in a fluid, for sound).
Key points
- Mechanical waves (sound, water waves, waves on a string, seismic S-waves) require a material medium — solids, liquids or gases — because they propagate via interactions between particles of the medium.
- The properties of the medium (density, elasticity, tension, etc.) determine the wave’s speed and behaviour (e.g., reflection, refraction, attenuation).
- Electromagnetic waves (light, radio, X-rays) do not require a material medium and can travel through a vacuum; they can also propagate through materials, where their speed and direction depend on the medium’s optical properties.
- Examples: sound travels through air, water, and solids; waves on a rope need the rope as the medium; light can travel through empty space.
If you want, I can give formulas for wave speed in particular media (e.g., on a string, in a fluid, for sound).