Properties of a Wave

• Amplitude: maximum particle displacement from rest position.
• Wavelength: length of one complete cylce.
• Period: time to complete one cycle.
• Frequency: number of cycles per second (Hz).

  Figure 3: Sinewave.

  
  
  

• Properties of Sound Waves:
  • Speed of sound: 340 m/s¹ (air), 1480 m/s (water)
  • Range of hearing: 20 - 20 000 Hz (humans)
  • Shortest audible wave: 340/20000=1.7cm
  • Longest audible wave: 340/20=17m