And similarly, we are familiar with radio waves and sound waves. Like microwaves, we have never seen them. Waves, as we will learn, carry energy from one location to another. And if the frequency of those waves can be changed, then we can also carry a complex signal which is capable of transmitting an idea or thought from one location to another. Perhaps this is one of the most important aspects of waves and will become a focus of our study in later units.
Waves are everywhere in nature.
Our understanding of the physical world is not complete until we understand the nature, properties and behaviors of waves. The goal of this unit is to develop mental models of waves and ultimately apply those models to an understanding of the two most common types of waves - sound waves and light waves .