BRAINCAKEDemonstrating Stationary Waves
Stationary waves can be demonstrated, and used to measure wavelength, with microwaves or sound.
Microwaves: a microwave transmitter faces a flat metal plate, which reflects the microwaves straight back. The incident and reflected waves superpose to form a stationary wave between the transmitter and the plate. A microwave probe (detector) connected to a meter is moved slowly along the line between them. The reading rises and falls: it is a minimum at each node and a maximum at each antinode.
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Key terms in this lesson
- node
- A point on a stationary wave where the amplitude is always zero.
- antinode
- A point on a stationary wave where the amplitude is at its maximum.
More in Waves
- Superposition
- Interference
- Progressive Waves
- Stationary Waves
- Waves on a Stretched String
- Speed and Frequency of Waves on a Stretched String
- Investigating the Factors Affecting Fundamental Frequency
- Fundamental Frequency
All 22 lessons in Waves · All Edexcel AS-level Physics topics