In wave terminology, what term describes a repeating disturbance through a medium?

The term that describes a repeating disturbance through a medium is mechanical waves. Mechanical waves require a material medium, such as air, water, or solids, to propagate. They involve oscillations of particles in that medium, leading to the transfer of energy. This aligns with the concept of a repeating disturbance, as these waves consistently move through the medium, creating a pattern of compression and rarefaction in the case of longitudinal waves or peaks and troughs in transverse waves.

While electromagnetic waves, seismic waves, and sound waves could also be considered disturbances, they are more specific categories. Electromagnetic waves can propagate through a vacuum without a medium, making them distinct from mechanical waves. Seismic waves are a specific type of mechanical wave that occur during earthquakes, and sound waves are a subtype of mechanical waves that travel through gases, liquids, and solids. Thus, the broader category encompassing all such disturbances that travel through a medium is mechanical waves.