A wave is a type of disturbance that transfers energy through a medium or through space itself. These disturbances are characterized by the oscillation of a property, such as displacement, pressure, or electric and magnetic fields. Waves are generally classified into mechanical waves, which require a material medium to propagate, and electromagnetic waves, which can travel through a vacuum. Key descriptors of wave motion include wavelength, which is the spatial period of the wave, and frequency, which measures the number of wave cycles passing a point per unit of time. The speed of the wave is determined by the properties of the medium and is a fundamental concept utilized across disciplines ranging from optics and acoustics to geophysics.