 Here are some properties of waves: 
One wavelength λ is the distance between crestsThe amplitude is the height of the wave above the rest position The frequency f is the number of full wavelengths that pass by each second The speed v of the wave is usually measured in metres per second Speed, frequency and wavelength are related by the equation: v = f · λ where v = wave speed f = frequency λ = wavelength An example: An ocean wave has frequency 2 waves per second and wavelength 5 metres. Find its speed. v = f · λ v = 2 waves/second x 5 metres/wave v = 10 metres/second NOTE: We use the word 'speed' here, when it more properly should be called 'velocity', as the movement of waves has a direction. We're ignoring the difference here, since a wave's direction is not pertinent to the properties of waves. |