Traveling Waves

Wavelength, frequency, speed

An interactive lesson with 7 steps, about 6 minutes: you predict, drag and solve, with instant feedback on every answer. It runs in your browser and needs JavaScript.

What you’ll learn

• Waves carry energy, not matter.
• $v = f\lambda$, and the period is $T = 1/f$.
• The medium sets the wave speed. Changing the frequency changes the wavelength.

Steps

1. Cork on a pond
2. A wave on a string
3. Describing a wave
4. Wave speed
5. Concert A
6. Higher pitch
7. Radio