Types of Standing Waves
Propagation of standing waves occurs differently based on their dimensionality for which the medium in which they propagate. Two types of standing waves, including one-dimensional and two dimensional standing waves, exist.
One-dimensional Standing Waves
This traveling waves phenomenon is produced in media where the motions are possible along only one stretch. Examples include:
Strings: A string, fixed on both ends and being excited with vibration, is composed by waves standing which have a range of nodes and antinodes along its length. These standing waves are indeed the basis by which we define the ranges and pitches of musical instruments such as guitars, violins, and pianos.
Organ Pipes: Vibrating air columns inside pipes in wind instruments like organs are the resultants of superposition of two travelling waves with high physical interference. Standing wave production in the pipes differs depending on the length as well as geometry. Subsequently, different musical patterns reflecting in the tone production are among the phenomena that occur in the tubes.
Two-dimensional Standing Waves
On the contrary, mediums where motion can occur in two dimensions generate these violating waves referred to as standing waves. One of the example include surface wave, which means, when disturbances are spread across two dimensions over a medium such as the ripples on a water pond or vibrating membrane, such two-dimensional patterns emerge as standing waves. They display the so-called interference patterns that form in such a way that nodal lines and areas of maximum displacement on the material surface are distributed.
Standing Waves
Standing Waves are one of the most fascinating processes that occurs in the course of expanding waves traveling through any medium. While traveling waves, move ahead through space, stay a traveling one without having a place to stop, the standing waves do the contrary: they oscillate in-situ, standing still. The distinctive characteristics and wide distribution of them provide the grounds for many researchers’ interests as these phenomena are investigated by different branches of science.
This article explores standing waves: their formation, characteristics, equations, types, and applications across various disciplines like acoustics and optics.
Table of Content
- What are Standing Waves?
- Formation of Standing Waves
- Equation of a Standing Wave
- Relationship Between Wavelength and Frequency
- Harmonics and Overtones
- Types of Standing Waves
- Properties of Standing Waves