The vibration associated with sound is known as a sound wave. When an object vibrates, it creates disturbances in the surrounding medium, such as air, water, or solids. These vibrations travel through the medium as waves, causing particles to oscillate around their equilibrium positions. Sound waves are longitudinal waves, meaning that the displacement of the medium is parallel to the direction of wave propagation. The frequency and amplitude of these vibrations determine the pitch and loudness of the sound we hear, respectively, making sound waves fundamental to our auditory experience.