Video: Counting Waves
We provide the transcript below to those who for whatever reason would find the written words to be preferred over or in addition to the actual video.
Counting Waves
Video Transcript
How do you count the number of waves in a wave pattern? The trick is to understand what a wavelength is. If you inspect this wave pattern, you will notice that there is a unit that repeats itself over and over again. A wavelength is the length of this repeating unit. And we refer to this repeating unit as being
one full wave. If this is one full wave, then this is
one-half of a wave … and this is
one-quarter of a wave.
Use this understanding to count the number of waves. Put your finger at the beginning and trace over the pattern, counting by half-waves. From rest to crest back to rest is one-half a wave. And from rest down to a trough back to rest is another one-half a wave. Continue counting by halves and when you're done … 6 halves of a wave. We conclude there are 3.0 waves in the wave pattern.
That's how you count the number of waves in a wave pattern.
I'm Mr. H, letting you know … You got this!
Visit: Concept Builder || Teacher Notes || Questions (Teachers only)