Lesson One : Waves and Their Characteristics
Waves are energetic disturbances that travel through space. Waves exist in a variety of ways but no matter what its type, every wave shares a basic set of characteristics.
Wavelength
The wavelength of a wave is the distance between one crest of the wave and the next.
Period (T)
The period of a wave is the amount of time it takes for the wave to travel a distance of one wavelength.
Frequency (f)
The frequency of a wave is the number of crests that pass a certain point per second. The frequency of a wave is given by the reciprocal of its period:
Amplitude (A)
The amplitude is the distance of the wave's crest above the center of the wave.
Velocity (v)
The velocity of the wave is the speed at which the entire disturbance moves.