General properties of waves — Describe
Question
Question
What do the terms wavefront, wavelength, frequency, crest, trough, amplitude and wave speed mean when describing a wave?
Answer
A wavefront is a line joining points on a wave that are in phase (e.g. all at a crest). Wavelength (λ) is the distance between two adjacent points in phase, such as one crest to the next. Frequency (f) is the number of complete waves passing a point per second, measured in hertz (Hz). The crest (peak) is the highest point of the wave and the trough is the lowest point. Amplitude is the maximum displacement of a particle from its undisturbed (rest) position. Wave speed is the distance the wave travels per unit time, measured in m/s.
← → arrow keys to navigate