Characteristics of progressive wave

Progressive wave

A progressive wave is defined as the onward transmission of the vibratory motion of a body in an elastic medium from one particle to the successive particle.

Characteristics of progressive wave

1.  Each particle of the medium executes vibration about its mean position. The disturbance progresses onward from one particle to another.

2. The particles of the medium vibrate with same amplitude about their mean positions.

3.   Each successive particle of the medium performs a motion similar to that of its predecessor along the propagation of the wave, but later in time.

4.  The phase of every particle changes from 0 to 2π.

No particle remains permanently at rest. Twice during each

vibration, the particles are momentarily at rest at extreme positions, different particles attain the position at different time.

6.  Transverse progressive waves are characterised by crests and troughs. Longitudinal waves are characterised by compressions and rarefactions.

7. There is a transfer of energy across the medium in the direction of propagation of progressive wave.

8.  All the particles have the same maximum velocity when they pass through the mean position.

9.    The displacement, velocity and acceleration of the particle separated by mλ are the same, where m is an integer.