Three Dimensional Wave 1

Below is an interactive animation of wave motion on a surface. See notes below.

The above animation works this way:

Click or tap on the number adjusters to the right to change the parameters for the animation. The greater buttons will increase a value, the less buttons will decrease a value.

You can change the wave with these three number adjusters:

• λ - lambda, the wavelength. This is the distance from any point on one wave to a corresponding point on the next wave, for example, from one crest to the next crest.
• f - frequency. This is how many waves are made per time period.
• A - amplitude. This is the height of the wave crest.

You can change the view of the wave with these three number adjusters;

• Θ - theta. This controls a rotation of the viewpoint used for seeing the wave.
• Φ - phi. This controls a different rotation of the viewpoint.
• ρ - rho. This controls the viewing distance.

The velocity of the wave in this demonstration is not constant. If the wave did have constant velocity, when you changed the wavelength, the frequency would change in a reciprocal fashion. The wavelength and frequency are not related that way in this demonstration.

In this demonstration if, for example, you change the wavelength, the frequency is not affected. And changes in frequency will not change the wavelength.