| Progressive waves are formed when any point in an infinite medium is disturbed. | Stationary Waves are formed when any point in a bounded medium is disturbed. |
| Wave advances with definite velocity. | Wave does not advance in the medium. |
| Wave curve advances without change of form. | Wave curve changes form from time to time — it shrinks to a straight line twice in each period. |
| Each particle performs S.H.M. No particle is at rest. | Particles at nodes are almost at rest. |
| The amplitude of each particle is the same. | The amplitude varies continuously from point-to-point — it is maximum at antinodes and minimum at nodes. |
| The phase changes with time as well as with space. | The phase at any instant is the same between two consecutive nodes. It changes only in time. The phase changes by π from one segment to the next. |
| All particles do not have a maximum displacement at the same instant. | All particles have a maximum displacement at the same instant. |
| In the case of longitudinal waves, each part of the medium undergoes similar changes in pressure and density. | At the nodes, the medium undergoes maximum pressure and density variations. |
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