Travelling-Wave Animator

Change the wave parameters and watch the disturbance propagate while individual medium particles oscillate about fixed positions.

Period, T2.00 s
Wave speed, v2.00 m/s
Wave number, k1.57 rad/m
Angular frequency, ω3.14 rad/s
Direction→ Right

Wave parameters

1.00 m
Maximum displacement of a medium particle.
4.00 m
Distance between adjacent points in the same phase.
0.50 Hz
Oscillations of each medium particle per second.
0°
Shifts the wave relative to the chosen origin and time.
y(x,t) = A sin(kx − ωt + φ),    v = fλ
Key idea: The wave travels to the right, but each orange particle only moves up and down around its own fixed horizontal position.

Travelling disturbance and medium particles

+A 0 −A position x one medium particle λ = 4.00 m wave propagation
wave profile medium particles wavelength / propagation
Predict before changing a control

Double the frequency while keeping wavelength fixed. What happens to the wave speed?