Final answer:
In physics, Waves are a branch that studies energy-transferring disturbances, with sound waves being a type of mechanical wave requiring a medium to travel. Mechanics is another branch that explains object motion and the effects of gravity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Branches of Physics: Waves and Mechanics
Physics is a science that delves into the interactions of energy, matter, space, and time to unravel the fundamental mechanisms of phenomena. Two notable branches of physics include:
Waves: This branch studies disturbances that transfer energy from one location to another without necessarily moving mass. Common examples of waves are light, sound, and ocean waves. Specifically, sound waves are mechanical waves, which means they require a medium like air, water, or solids to travel. Unlike light waves, mechanical waves cannot propagate through a vacuum.
Mechanics: This area of physics explains the motion of objects and how gravity works. It is concerned with the behavior of physical bodies when subjected to forces or displacements, and the subsequent effects of the bodies on their environment.
Understanding mechanical waves, such as sound waves, involves studying their properties in various mediums and how factors like the medium's material properties can affect their speed.