Which parameter corresponds to the distance between successive peaks in a wave?

Which parameter corresponds to the distance between successive peaks in a wave?

• A. Amplitude
• B. Wavelength
• C. Pressure
• D. Duty factor

Answer: (B)

The distance between successive peaks in a wave is the wavelength. This is the spatial period of the wave—the repeat distance along the medium from one crest to the next. The amplitude is the height of the crest, not how far apart crests are. Pressure relates to the variation in air pressure in a sound wave, not the spacing of peaks. Duty factor describes how much of a pulsed signal is on versus off, again not about peak spacing. A helpful relation is that speed equals wavelength times frequency, which links how fast the wave moves to how far apart the peaks are when the frequency is fixed. So the distance between peaks is the wavelength.

The distance between successive peaks in a wave is the wavelength. This is the spatial period of the wave—the repeat distance along the medium from one crest to the next. The amplitude is the height of the crest, not how far apart crests are. Pressure relates to the variation in air pressure in a sound wave, not the spacing of peaks. Duty factor describes how much of a pulsed signal is on versus off, again not about peak spacing. A helpful relation is that speed equals wavelength times frequency, which links how fast the wave moves to how far apart the peaks are when the frequency is fixed. So the distance between peaks is the wavelength.