Yes. In the ideal wave model, waves transfer energy from one place to another without producing a net transfer of matter. This is core content for IB Physics C.2 Wave model at both SL and HL.
A travelling wave is a disturbance that propagates through space. In a mechanical wave, particles of the medium oscillate about their equilibrium positions and transfer energy to neighbouring particles, but they do not travel with the wave over long distances.
For example, when a wave travels along a rope, each small section of rope moves up and down while the wave travels horizontally. The rope itself does not move from one end to the other. Similarly, air molecules in a sound wave oscillate back and forth, creating moving compressions and rarefactions without travelling from the source to the listener.
| Wave type | How energy is transferred | What happens to matter? |
|---|---|---|
| Transverse mechanical wave | Oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer | Particles oscillate about fixed equilibrium positions |
| Longitudinal mechanical wave | Oscillations are parallel to the direction of energy transfer | Particles move back and forth, with no net displacement in the ideal model |
| Electromagnetic wave | Oscillating electric and magnetic fields carry energy | No material medium is required |
The wave speed is related to frequency and wavelength by . This describes the speed of the disturbance, not the speed of individual particles in a mechanical medium.