Are the Peaks and Troughs of a Wave Always the Same Size?

[Bashyboy]

Hi,

I was wondering a peak and its proceeding trough in a wave were always the same size?

Thanks

 

[olivermsun]

This really depends on whether you are talking about (ideal) plane waves or real waves in a medium.

Plane waves, e.g., y = A cos(kx - wt), are exactly periodic by definition, so the peaks and troughs are identical, unchanging, and exactly symmetrical around '0' (although you can shift the entire wave up or down by adding a constant, or 'DC', offset).

 

[Bashyboy]

Wavelength

Hi,

Is it possible to describe a wavelength as the distance between two points and the on a wave, that forms a phase?

 

[berkeman]

Hi,

I was wondering a peak and its proceeding trough in a wave were always the same size?

Thanks

Hi,

Is it possible to describe a wavelength as the distance between two points and the on a wave, that forms a phase?

(two similar threads merged)

As Oliver says, the answers to both of your questions depends on how you constrain the "waves".

If you are talking about continuous traveling sine waves that do not vary in amplitude, wavelength or phase, then yes, the measurements are straightforward.

But if there are things that can distort the waves, like diffraction, refraction, medium changes (like changing water depth for water waves), then some of these measurements are harder to make and define.

 

[Bashyboy]

Okay, thank you both very much: I understand now.