The wave that he is modeling is due to having a field in space-time that will interact with nearby values of the same field in a linear way, which results in it moving at a constant rate.
The waves that you see in water are the surface representation of 3-d movements under the surface of the water. So you get effects such as the depth of the movement for a wave determines its velocity. A wave that moves a very deep water column moves very fast. (One that is a half-mile deep can move as fast as a jet!) A wave that moves a shallow water column moves slowly.
Another interesting fact about waves is that there is a significant nonlinear interaction between the depth of the water and the depth of the wave. As you come to shore this causes the wave to rise up. Surfers enjoy this effect when it comes to normal wind driven waves. But in the case of very deep and fast waves, the effect is very much like a tide unexpectedly coming in. The result is known as a tsunami or tidal wave.
These complex behaviors mean that water waves can behave very differently from light and sound.
The waves that you see in water are the surface representation of 3-d movements under the surface of the water. So you get effects such as the depth of the movement for a wave determines its velocity. A wave that moves a very deep water column moves very fast. (One that is a half-mile deep can move as fast as a jet!) A wave that moves a shallow water column moves slowly.
Another interesting fact about waves is that there is a significant nonlinear interaction between the depth of the water and the depth of the wave. As you come to shore this causes the wave to rise up. Surfers enjoy this effect when it comes to normal wind driven waves. But in the case of very deep and fast waves, the effect is very much like a tide unexpectedly coming in. The result is known as a tsunami or tidal wave.
These complex behaviors mean that water waves can behave very differently from light and sound.