What does the term 'frequency' describe in a wave?

What does the term 'frequency' describe in a wave?

• A. Number of times a wave repeats per second
• B. Height of the wave
• C. Distance between peaks
• D. Type of wave

Answer: (A)

Frequency describes the rate at which the wave pattern repeats each second. It’s measured in hertz, with 1 Hz meaning one complete cycle per second. If a wave completes more cycles in a second, its frequency is higher; if fewer, it’s lower. This is different from the wave’s height (amplitude) and the distance between peaks (wavelength). The type of wave refers to what kind of disturbance it is, not how often it repeats. In everyday terms, higher frequency means more cycles per second, which in sound translates to a higher pitch, and in light relates to color and energy.

Frequency describes the rate at which the wave pattern repeats each second. It’s measured in hertz, with 1 Hz meaning one complete cycle per second. If a wave completes more cycles in a second, its frequency is higher; if fewer, it’s lower. This is different from the wave’s height (amplitude) and the distance between peaks (wavelength). The type of wave refers to what kind of disturbance it is, not how often it repeats. In everyday terms, higher frequency means more cycles per second, which in sound translates to a higher pitch, and in light relates to color and energy.