Patterns of Waves

Pattern in Waves Characteristics

• Frequency, amplitude, and wavelength of waves follow a pattern, repeating and allowing for prediction.
• Waves can oscillate, moving back and forth, similar to swings, pendulums, or rocking chairs.
• A wave period is the time taken for a wave to complete one back and forth motion.

Wave Patterns

• Circular waves are caused by a disturbance at a single point, spreading out in all directions from the point.
• Circular waves form circles that get larger, but the distance between them remains the same.
• Plane waves are formed when a line of matter is disturbed, moving in parallel lines that travel in the same direction.

Wave Combination

• When multiple waves move through a medium, they can meet and add together, a process called superposition.
• When the crests of two waves meet, their amplitudes add together, making the wave taller for a moment.
• When the crest of one wave meets an equal trough of another wave, the wave is destroyed briefly, as the equal crest and trough cancel each other out, leaving the medium still for a moment.