A wave-cycle refers to the path of a wave measured from any point through the course of a single oscillation to the same point on the next oscillation.
- Imagine a wave-cycle as a series of points marked on the path of the wave between one crest and the next.
- All electromagnetic waves share features such as crests, troughs, oscillations, wavelength, frequency, amplitude, direction of travel.
- As a wave oscillates (vibrates), it can be viewed as a series of individual oscillations measured from one crest to the next crest, one trough to the next trough, or from the start of a wave-cycle to the next starting point.
- Whilst wave-cycle refers to the path from one point on a wave during a single oscillation to the same point on completion of that oscillation, wavelength is a measurement of the same phenomenon along the axis of the wave.
Related diagrams
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A wave-cycle refers to the path of a wave measured from any point through the course of a single oscillation to the same point on the next oscillation.
- Imagine a wave-cycle as a series of points marked on the path of the wave between one crest and the next.
- All electromagnetic waves share features such as crests, troughs, oscillations, wavelength, frequency, amplitude, direction of travel.
- Whilst a wave-cycle is the path from one point on a wave during a single oscillation to the same point on completion of that oscillation, wavelength is a measurement of the same phenomenon along the axis of the wave.