measuring waves

measuring waves

1. displacement

   • its distance and direction from its equilibrium position

2. amplitude

   • the maximum displacement of a vibrating particle
     • transverse wave
       • the height of a wave crest or the depth of a wave trough from the middle

3. period of a wave

   • the time for one complete wave to pass a fixed point

4. wavelength

   • the least distance bewteen two adjacent vibrating particles with the same displacement and velocity at the same time

5. wave speed

   • the higher the freq, the shorter the wavelength
   • c=f/λ

6. frequency

   • the number of cycles of vibration of a particle per second (Hz)
   • the number of complete waves passing a point per second

7. one complete cycle of a wave

   • from the maximum displacement to the next maximum displacement

8. phase difference

   • the fraction of a cycle between the vibrations of the two particles

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