Wave Calculator - Wave Motion

This physics calculator helps you calculate wave properties including speed, wavelength, frequency, and period. Waves are disturbances that transfer energy through a medium or space.

Wave Definition

• Wave: Disturbance that transfers energy through a medium
• Wave Speed: v = fλ (speed = frequency × wavelength)
• Wavelength: λ = v/f (distance between wave crests)
• Frequency: f = v/λ (cycles per second)

Wave Formulas

• Wave Speed: v = fλ
• Wavelength: λ = v/f
• Frequency: f = v/λ
• Period: T = 1/f
• Angular Frequency: ω = 2πf
• Wave Number: k = 2π/λ
• Energy Density: E = ½ρω²A²
• Intensity: I = ½ρvω²A²

Applications

• Acoustics: Sound waves and audio engineering
• Optics: Light waves and electromagnetic radiation
• Electronics: Radio waves and signal processing
• Oceanography: Water waves and tides
• Seismology: Earthquake waves
• Medicine: Ultrasound and medical imaging

Important Notes

• Wave speed depends on medium properties
• Frequency is independent of medium
• Wavelength changes with medium
• Energy is proportional to amplitude squared
• Waves can interfere constructively or destructively

Wave Types

• Mechanical Waves: Require a medium (sound, water)
• Electromagnetic Waves: No medium required (light, radio)
• Transverse Waves: Perpendicular to propagation
• Longitudinal Waves: Parallel to propagation
• Surface Waves: At interface between media

Wave Examples

• Sound Waves: 20 Hz - 20 kHz (human hearing)
• Light Waves: 400-700 nm (visible spectrum)
• Radio Waves: 1 mm - 100 km wavelength
• X-rays: 0.01-10 nm wavelength
• Gamma Rays: < 0.01 nm wavelength

Wave Properties

• Amplitude: Maximum displacement from equilibrium
• Wavelength: Distance between identical points
• Frequency: Number of cycles per second
• Period: Time for one complete cycle
• Phase: Position in the wave cycle

Wave Phenomena

• Reflection: Wave bounces off surface
• Refraction: Wave bends at interface
• Diffraction: Wave bends around obstacles
• Interference: Waves combine
• Resonance: Amplification at natural frequency

Wave Speed in Different Media

• Air: 340 m/s (sound)
• Water: 1500 m/s (sound)
• Steel: 5000 m/s (sound)
• Vacuum: 3×10⁸ m/s (light)
• Glass: 2×10⁸ m/s (light)