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Wave Equation
The wave equation is a second-order linear partial differential equation for the description of waves or standing wave fields such as mechanical waves (e.g. water waves, sound waves and seismic waves) or electromagnetic waves (including light waves). It arises in fields like acoustics, electromagnetism, and fluid dynamics. This article focuses on waves in classical physics. Quantum physics uses an operator-based wave equation often as a relativistic wave equation. Introduction The wave equation is a hyperbolic partial differential equation describing waves, including traveling and standing waves; the latter can be considered as linear superpositions of waves traveling in opposite directions. This article mostly focuses on the scalar wave equation describing waves in scalars by scalar functions of a time variable (a variable representing time) and one or more spatial variables (variables representing a position in a space under discussion). At the same time, there are ve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pulse (physics)
In physics, a pulse is a generic term describing a single disturbance that moves through a transmission medium. This medium may be vacuum (in the case of electromagnetic radiation) or matter, and may be indefinitely large or finite. Pulse reflection Consider a pulse moving through a medium - perhaps through a rope or a slinky. When the pulse reaches the end of that medium, what happens to it depends on whether the medium is fixed in space or free to move at its end. For example, if the pulse is moving through a rope and the end of the rope is held firmly by a person, then it is said that the pulse is approaching a fixed end. On the other hand, if the end of the rope is fixed to a stick such that it is free to move up or down along the stick when the pulse reaches its end, then it is said that the pulse is approaching a free end. Free end A pulse will reflect off a free end and return with the same direction of displacement that it had before reflection. That is, a pulse with a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
