Waves are disturbances traveling through a medium where energy is transferred from one particle to another. When visualizing a wave, graphics are used to represent a wave over time.
Properties of a wave can be measured by amplitude and frequency.
Amplitude is the measure of how great the oscillation of a wave is. Amplitude is visually represented as the distance between the equilibrium of a wave and its crest.
When referencing waves, frequency is often used to express the number of wave crests that cross a point in one second. Frequency is measured in Hertz (Hz).
If a wave has a frequency of 600Hz, it is moving at a speed of 600 wave crests per second.
The electromagnetic spectrum is a spectrum that includes all frequencies of electromagnetic radiation. Visible light and radio waves are examples of electromagnetic radiation that occur in waves.
This chart displays the various frequencies of different types of electromagnetic radiation.