Shullámok

Shullámok (waves) are propagating disturbances that transfer energy and information without requiring a net transport of matter. A wave can propagate through a medium, such as water or air, or, in the case of electromagnetic waves, through vacuum. Waves are described by properties such as frequency f, wavenumber k, wavelength λ, amplitude A, and speed v. The fundamental relation is v = fλ. The energy carried by a wave depends on its amplitude and type.

Classification. Mechanical waves require a medium (sound, water waves, seismic waves). Electromagnetic waves consist of oscillating electric and magnetic fields and can propagate in vacuum (light, radio). Matter waves describe the quantum wavefunction of particles, with wavelength given by de Broglie λ = h/p. Key phenomena include superposition (interference), reflection, refraction, diffraction, and, for EM waves, polarization and dispersion.

Applications and theory. Waves underpin technologies such as acoustics, telecommunications, optics, ultrasound imaging, and seismology. Wave behavior is governed by the wave equation; for a uniform medium, the one-dimensional form is ∂^2ψ/∂x^2 = (1/v^2) ∂^2ψ/∂t^2. Understanding waves enables interpretation of natural phenomena, from ocean swells to microwave signals.