The distance between two successive crests or troughs of a wave defines ______ and is represented by the Greek letter ______

The distance between two successive crests or troughs of a wave defines ______ and is represented by the Greek letter ______

• A. Wavelength; nu
• B. Frequency; nu
• C. Frequency; lambda
• D. Wavelength; lambda

Answer: (D)

This tests distinguishing between spatial period and temporal rate of a wave. The distance between two successive crests (or troughs) is the wavelength, a spatial measure of the wave’s cycle. The standard symbol for wavelength is lambda. Frequency, on the other hand, counts how many cycles occur per unit time and is denoted by nu. These two are related by the wave speed with v = f λ (or v = ν λ). So the correct pairing is wavelength with lambda.

This tests distinguishing between spatial period and temporal rate of a wave. The distance between two successive crests (or troughs) is the wavelength, a spatial measure of the wave’s cycle. The standard symbol for wavelength is lambda. Frequency, on the other hand, counts how many cycles occur per unit time and is denoted by nu. These two are related by the wave speed with v = f λ (or v = ν λ). So the correct pairing is wavelength with lambda.