Re: Longitudinal Waves

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "davep by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <davep-at-quik-dot-com>


> Actually, the damped waves are due to opposing forces within the wave
> itself.  When a pulse is generated there are two forces acting on the
> medium.

	Perhaps.
	However, if one accounts for the known energy losses:
		resistive, radiative, etc.
	The decline in amplitude ('damping') is nicely accounted for.

 (...)

> With light waves, the transverse component of the wave damps out after about
> 10 to 30 seconds.  This is because the attractive forces quickly neutralize
> each other.  But the longitudinal force of the wave continues to the edge of
> the Universe or until the energy of the wave is absorbed by the fields of
> other atoms.  We know this is true because energy can be neither created nor
> destroyed.

	Indeed.  Energy can be transformed, eg from more or less organized
	em oscillations to heat.  It then leaves the system as losses.
	(not the universe, just the system....)

	best
	dwp