BTW, I think the word "wave" is the word that should be used instead of packet...sounds wave...not EM wave since somehow those are packetized hehe.
No, because nothing dictates that the wave or the particle is rigidly attached to the fork. The only reason the particle actually moves back towards the fork is because of the rebound. THe particles end up looking like they are moving back and forth with the fork because they rebound off of other particles to send them moving back toward the fork, but not the wave. THe wave itself is propogated as the particles hit neigbouring particles on the right which causes that particle to move toward the right hitting more particles, etc. After hitting a neigbouring particle the original particle rebounds so it moves to the left. Remember, the fork is only able to push the particles- it can't pull. THe only way a particle can move back towards the fork is from another particle on the opposite side (ie. a collision or rebound).
The propogation of the wave is NEITHER the motion of the particle nor the fork. It is the "infectious effect" of one particle causing another to move (the so-called transfer of energy) that is the wave. So while a particle may be oscillating in one spot, if this causes subsequent particles to oscillate down a line at a rate of X additional particles begins to oscillate per second- that is the wave.
Here is a way awesome animation that demonstrates it. Does this help? Because if it doesn't...there's nothing more I can do!
So immediately after the first two particles collide, the 1st particle rebounds to the left. But the 2nd particle proceeds to hit the third. Subsequently, particles further down the line are still motionless because the wave has not reached them yet, even though particles at the beginning of the line are still oscillating left and right, the wave- a disease known as "the shakes" is moving down the line.
The motion of the particle is *NOT* the wave itself. The energy of the wave is not transferred when the particle moves- it's transferred when the particles collide. So the particles oscillating left and right makes the frequency of the sound, while the inducing of neighbouring particles to move IS the wave. If a wave is the transfer of energy, and the collisions are when energy transfer occurs, then in the image below follow the collisions. THe collisions move in one direction, even though the particles just oscillate back and forth. So like a transverse wave, just because the particle is moving back and forth, doesn't mean that the wave itself is moving back and forth (or even in the same axis).
It looks like there is a higher density of particles propogating to the right which is the wave. BUt at the same time it looks like there is a less dense population propogating to the left. Almost like the relationship hole and electron flow or between the positive and negative crests of waves moving in opposite directions. But no particles are actually moving along with the wave. It's just the density (or higher pressure if you will) is moving. THe particles themselves don't stray very far from where they started before moving in the opposite direction again.
Speaking of more awesome wave animations:
**broken link removed**
No, because nothing dictates that the wave or the particle is rigidly attached to the fork. The only reason the particle actually moves back towards the fork is because of the rebound. THe particles end up looking like they are moving back and forth with the fork because they rebound off of other particles to send them moving back toward the fork, but not the wave. THe wave itself is propogated as the particles hit neigbouring particles on the right which causes that particle to move toward the right hitting more particles, etc. After hitting a neigbouring particle the original particle rebounds so it moves to the left. Remember, the fork is only able to push the particles- it can't pull. THe only way a particle can move back towards the fork is from another particle on the opposite side (ie. a collision or rebound).
The propogation of the wave is NEITHER the motion of the particle nor the fork. It is the "infectious effect" of one particle causing another to move (the so-called transfer of energy) that is the wave. So while a particle may be oscillating in one spot, if this causes subsequent particles to oscillate down a line at a rate of X additional particles begins to oscillate per second- that is the wave.
Here is a way awesome animation that demonstrates it. Does this help? Because if it doesn't...there's nothing more I can do!
So immediately after the first two particles collide, the 1st particle rebounds to the left. But the 2nd particle proceeds to hit the third. Subsequently, particles further down the line are still motionless because the wave has not reached them yet, even though particles at the beginning of the line are still oscillating left and right, the wave- a disease known as "the shakes" is moving down the line.
The motion of the particle is *NOT* the wave itself. The energy of the wave is not transferred when the particle moves- it's transferred when the particles collide. So the particles oscillating left and right makes the frequency of the sound, while the inducing of neighbouring particles to move IS the wave. If a wave is the transfer of energy, and the collisions are when energy transfer occurs, then in the image below follow the collisions. THe collisions move in one direction, even though the particles just oscillate back and forth. So like a transverse wave, just because the particle is moving back and forth, doesn't mean that the wave itself is moving back and forth (or even in the same axis).
It looks like there is a higher density of particles propogating to the right which is the wave. BUt at the same time it looks like there is a less dense population propogating to the left. Almost like the relationship hole and electron flow or between the positive and negative crests of waves moving in opposite directions. But no particles are actually moving along with the wave. It's just the density (or higher pressure if you will) is moving. THe particles themselves don't stray very far from where they started before moving in the opposite direction again.
Speaking of more awesome wave animations:
**broken link removed**
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