BRAINCAKEStationary Waves
Stationary waves form when two progressive waves of the same frequency travel in opposite directions and are superposed. Where they are in phase with each other their displacements add up. This forms an antinode. The antinode is the point of greatest amplitude and therefore the point of greatest intensity.
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Key terms in this lesson
- energy
- The capacity of a system to do work.
- progressive wave
- An oscillation that travels through a medium or space, transferring energy from one place to another without transferring matter.
- amplitude
- The maximum displacement of a particle or wave from its equilibrium position.
- frequency
- The number of complete oscillations or wavelengths passing a given point per unit time.
- intensity
- The radiant power passing through a surface per unit area.