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.
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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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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79
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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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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318
Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have developed a novel Ising machine that utilizes surface acoustic waves as an effective carrier of dense information flow. This approach enables fast, energy-efficient solutions ...
Condensed Matter
Mar 17, 2025
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71
In a scene toward the end of the 2006 film, "X-Men: The Last Stand," a character claps and sends a shock wave that knocks out an opposing army. Sunny Jung, professor of biological and environmental engineering in the College ...
General Physics
Mar 11, 2025
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53
A unique propagation phenomenon of acoustic waves has been discovered, paving the way for developing advanced communication technologies using acoustic devices.
Nanophysics
Jan 29, 2025
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415
Researchers have pioneered the use of parallel computing on graphics cards to simulate acoustic turbulence. This type of simulation, which previously required a supercomputer, can now be performed on a standard personal computer. ...
General Physics
Jan 16, 2025
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