Anatomy Of A Wave

Click on the text in the image to learn some of the different terminology associated with the anatomy of a wave.

Wave separation or dispersion is a function of wavelength. The waves with the longest wavelengths move away from the area of wave formation faster than waves with shorter wavelengths. The magnitude of the wave decreases as it travels over large distances. The speed of a wave is calculated by dividing the wavelength by the wave period:

Wave speed = wavelength/wave period.