There are many different types of waves and these have many uses. For example, in the natural world, light waves enable us to see objects; sound waves enable us to communicate aurally; infrared waves from the Sun provide the Earth with the thermal energy that is needed to sustain life. This topic explores how specific types of waves are suited for particular applications, for example, X-rays for examining the human body, ultrasound for scanning a fetus in the womb, ultraviolet waves for detecting forged banknotes and microwaves and infrared waves to monitor the weather.
