Elastic waves travel through materials or fluids without causing permanent changes. They can be analyzed mathematically and visualized using graphs. They can be captured using ultrasound cameras or lasers. Different materials exhibit separate propagation patterns.
An elastic wave generally travels through a material or fluid, or on its surface, without causing any permanent structural or physical changes. It is typically identified by a distortion or displacement. Waves that travel through water, sound that travels through air, and energy that travels through solid materials such as the earth are often described as elastic waves. Propagation can be analyzed mathematically, while the height, length and time of an elastic wave can be visualized using a graph. Special ultrasound cameras can also capture movement on a solid surface such as a sheet of metal or paper.
If a pebble or other object is dropped into the water, the ripples usually travel in all directions. These can be seen as a circular ring from above or observed on the surface as the surface moves up and down. The measurement of an elastic wave can be obtained by plotting the height from a reference point, such as the normal surface of water. The height of the curved line is called the width, which can extend both above and below the surface line. This is typically a cycle in wave motion.
Elastic waves typically have peaks and troughs. From peak to peak, as well as trough to trough, is a cycle called the amplitude. If the elastic wave is compared with time instead of distance, then this measurement is of the period of the wave. Dividing the wavelength by the period in a wave equation typically gives a value for the speed of the wave.
An acoustic wave often travels in a similar way, through air, water, or a solid material. The period of a sound wave is called its frequency; it is typically measured in units called hertz if travel time is measured in seconds. Mathematical calculations generally become more complex when an elastic wave is run through a solid material. For example, the geometric properties of layered cylinders and pipes are often taken into consideration, as well as the density, hardness and shape of the objects. This data is typically analyzed and recorded by engineers for items such as aluminum shells and various mechanical components.
In addition to using mathematics and computer modeling, an elastic wave can also be captured using lasers and ultrasound detectors. The experiments used video cameras to record surface vibrations and analyze the elastic properties of various materials. On a metal plate, for example, such an image may look like the ripples in a pond. Different materials may exhibit separate propagation patterns, while each type may transmit an elastic wave differently under stress.
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