Re: Waves

[Ludwik Kowalski <KowalskiL@MAIL.MONTCLAIR.EDU>]

The so-called "electromagnetic wave" is actually a pair of two
waves supporting each other. This is very different from the
waves of displacement, y, and velocity, v=dy/dt , of particles
along a stretched rope. Unlike for y and v, the planes of
polarization of E and B are mutually perpendicular. That is
a significant factor for transporting or not transporting linear
momentum.

A surfer pushed by an ocean wave, near the shore, will gain
linear momentum but this not a transverse wave traveling
with constant v.

> Carl E. Mungan wrote:
>
> > ...what is a wave? Maybe that's a good question to start with. Anyone
> > care to take a crack? In my mind, I was counting pulses as waves - after
> > all, you could Fourier compose many sinusoids to get a pulse. I am
> > however ruling out standing waves - there does have to be a net energy
> > transport, hence a traveling wave.