Traveling wave
The particles stay put, yet the energy travels far.
As the wave travels to the right, the particles of the medium only oscillate up and down about their equilibrium positions. The large blue dot is the particle to watch: notice that it does not move to the right with the wave.
Tracked particle displacement vs. time
Think about it
If the wave speed is kept constant and the frequency is increased, how does the wavelength change?
The wavelength decreases. From λ = v/f, doubling the frequency halves the wavelength, and the crests on screen crowd closer together.
Model assumptionsIdeal harmonic transverse wave · no damping · wavelength varies with wave speed and frequency
Data log
Set the parameters and click “Record data”. Record several rows with different parameters to plot their relationship and fit a straight line; pause and record at different times to study how a reading changes with time.