Topic Summaries

Wave speed

GCSE > Physics > AQA > GCSE Physics Topic Summaries > Properties of waves > Wave speed
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Science skills: Measuring results

  • Wave speed is the speed at which energy will be transferred by a wave, or the speed at which a wave moves, through a medium.
  • Wave speed is given by \(\text{wave speed}=\text{frequency}\times\text{wavelength}\) or \(v=f\lambda\) where:
    • \(v\) is the wave speed in m/s
    • \(f\) is the frequency in Hz
    • \(\lambda\) is the wavelength in m
  • Applications of wave speeds include measuring the wavelength and frequency of water ripples, reading the wavelength and frequency of sound waves from an oscilloscope, or recording the time it takes a sound echo to return to you after reflecting off a nearby building a known distance away.

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