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Frequency is the amount of cycles within a given amount of time. It is usually described in units of 1/s, where s is seconds.
If the wave is traveling, count the amount of peaks that pass by a certain reference point within a measured amount of time. Take the amount of peaks that have passed, and divide that quantity by the amount of time that has passed.
If the wave is not traveling (ie, a spring motion), count the amount of cycles within a measured amount of time. Then, as before, divide this quantity by the amount of time that has passed.
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How are frequency and period related in waves?
Mathematically, frequency = (1/Period) Conceptually, the period is how long it takes a wave to begin repeating itself. For example, if I start a stopwatch when the wave reaches its peak, and then stop timing when it reaches its next peak, the time on the stopwatch is the period. The frequency is how far the wave gets in 1 second. Some examples: If it take a wave 30 seconds to go through one cycle, the period is 30 seconds. In 1 second, it gets only 1/30 of the way through its cycle. Its frequency is 1/30 then. If a wave repeats itself 10 times in 1 second, its frequency is 10. It's period must be 1/10 of a second.
How do you find the wavelength of a transverse wave?
wave length = wave speed divided by its frequency
What is the equation for frequency of a wave?
velocity = frequency multiply wavelength Rearrange the equation to find the frequency
How do you find the period of a wave without the frequency?
You will have to measure it.
How would you find a period of a wave if the wave frequency is 500Hz?
Period = 1/frequency = 1/500 = 0.002 second = 2 milliseconds
