An acoustic wave is a mechanical disturbance that propagates through an elastic medium via successive compressions and rarefactions of particles, transporting energy but not net mass. Described by solutions to the linearized equations of fluid or solid mechanics, acoustic waves obey characteristic relations between pressure, density, and particle velocity fluctuations, with propagation speed determined by the medium’s elastic moduli and mass density. They can be longitudinal or, in solids, include transverse components, and are characterized by parameters such as frequency, wavelength, impedance, and attenuation, which govern reflection, refraction, scattering, and mode conversion in acoustically relevant phenomena and applications.
Researchers at the University of Oxford have suggested that ultrasound-repellers could help reduce hedgehog deaths caused by cars. The proposal is based on new findings, published in Biology Letters, which demonstrate for ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 10, 2026
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A new University of Mississippi study shows that some sound waves don't just move forward—they also move slightly to the side. Understanding this movement could help researchers develop more precise acoustic tools. Likun ...
General Physics
Mar 10, 2026
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At the heart of every camera is a sensor, whether that sensor is a collection of light-detecting pixels or a strip of 35-millimeter film. But what happens when you want to take a picture of something so small that the sensor ...
Nanophysics
Dec 15, 2025
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Electronics traditionally rely on harnessing the electron's charge, but researchers are now exploring the possibility of harnessing its other intrinsic properties. In a Nature Communications study, scientists from Japan demonstrated ...
Condensed Matter
Nov 19, 2025
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A world-famous light experiment from 1801 has now been carried out with sound for the first time. Research by physicists in Leiden has produced new insights that could be applied in 5G devices and the emerging field of quantum ...
Optics & Photonics
Nov 13, 2025
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The notion of a phased array was initially articulated by Nobel Prize recipient K. F. Braun. Phased arrays have subsequently evolved into a formidable mechanism for wave manipulation. This assertion holds particularly true ...
Stylolites—irregular seams that occur in limestone—have been found to affect how acoustic waves move through rock samples. Laboratory-based insights from KAUST researchers offer an improved understanding of how these features ...
Earth Sciences
Aug 20, 2025
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22
A world-first study reveals an acoustic interaction between plants and insects. In the study, the team focused on female moths and found that they make a critical decision—where to lay their eggs—based on sounds emitted by ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 15, 2025
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73
Sound waves travel through different types of matter, including liquid water. Importantly, the movement of ocean water can greatly affect how sound waves travel from one point to another.
Earth Sciences
Apr 16, 2025
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43
A joint research team has successfully demonstrated the complete confinement of mechanical waves within a single resonator—something long thought to be theoretically impossible. Their findings, published on April 3 in Physical ...
General Physics
Apr 11, 2025
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