Surface Wave

Surface Waves

Surface waves are a type of mechanical wave that travel along the boundary between two materials—usually air and water. You’ve probably seen them in action as ocean waves rolling across the surface. These waves form when energy, like wind or an impact, moves through the water. Surf...

Have you ever watched a surfer ride a wave and wondered, “What makes that wave move across the water?”

Surface waves travel along the boundary between two different materials, such as water and air. The most familiar example is ocean waves.

These waves form when the wind blows across the water’s surface, transferring energy to the wa...