Thread: Scalar Waves
View Single Post
Feb5-04, 07:04 PM   #2
 
Recognitions:
Gold Membership Gold Member
Retired Staff Staff Emeritus
A scalar is just a number. A wave is a repetitive variation in that number. For example the altitude of each point in Wisconsin forms a scalar wave. Or sound waves, all you can hear is the intensity of the superimposed tones; the intensity is just a number (yeah, maybe a complex number) and it varies repetitively (i.e the cycles of the tones).

What context did you find the phrase in?