Wave energy

There is an energy associated with various types of waves in nature. Some waves, like water or sound waves, propagate by actual movement of some material (water for water waves, air molecules for sound waves). One important form of wave - the light wave - can propagate in a vacuum; in this case, it is oscillating electric and magnetic fields which are ``waving''. Because of this movement or oscillation, all types of waves have an energy associated with their motion.