Standing wave

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A standing wave, also known as a stationary wave, is a wave that remains in a constant position. This phenomenon can occur because the medium is moving in the opposite direction to the wave, or it can arise in a stationary medium as a result of interference between two waves traveling in opposite directions. There is no net propagation of energy.

1 Moving medium
2 Opposing waves
3 Physical waves
4 Optical waves
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Moving medium

As an example of the first type, under certain meteorological conditions standing waves form in the atmosphere in the lee of mountain ranges. Such waves are often exploited by glider pilots.

[edit] Opposing waves

Standing wave in stationary medium. The red dots represent the wave nodes

As an example of the second type, a standing wave in a transmission line is a wave in which the distribution of current, voltage, or field strength is formed by the superposition of two waves propagating in opposite directions. The effect is a series of nodes (zero displacement) and anti-nodes (maximum displacement) at fixed points along the transmission line. Such a standing wave may be formed when a wave is transmitted into one end of a transmission line and is reflected from the other end by an impedance mismatch, i.e., discontinuity, such as an open circuit or a short.

In practice, losses in the transmission line and other components mean that a perfect reflection and a pure standing wave are never achieved. The result is a partial standing wave, which is a superposition of a standing wave and a travelling wave. The degree to which the wave resembles either a pure standing wave or a pure travelling wave is measured by the standing wave ratio (SWR).

[edit] Physical waves

Standing waves are also observed in physical media such as strings and columns of air. Any waves travelling along the medium will reflect back when they reach the end. This effect is most noticeable in musical instruments where, at various multiples of a string or air column's natural frequency, a standing wave is created, allowing harmonics to be identified. Nodes occur at fixed ends and antinodes at open ends. If fixed at only one end, only odd-numbered harmonics are available.

[edit] Optical waves

Standing waves are also observed in optical media such as optical wave guides, optical cavities,etc,. In an optical cavity, the light wave from one end is made to reflect from the other and the transmitted and reflected waves superpose and form a standing wave pattern.