Standing Waves Simulation
A standing wave has points that never move at all. This simulation sends a wave along a string and reflects it back, showing the nodes and antinodes forming where the two waves superpose.
How to use this simulation
- Sweep the driving frequency to find each harmonic
- Change the string tension and length
- Show the incident and reflected waves separately
What to look for
- Nodes remain completely stationary while antinodes swing furthest
- Adjacent nodes are half a wavelength apart
- Only specific frequencies produce a stable standing wave
The physics behind it
A standing wave arises when two identical waves travel in opposite directions and superpose. Nodes sit where they always cancel, antinodes where they always reinforce, spaced half a wavelength apart. A string fixed at both ends resonates only when a whole number of half wavelengths fits, giving f_n = nv/2L — the harmonic series behind every stringed instrument.