the periodic disturbance in a medium resulting from the combination of two waves of equal frequency and intensity travelling in opposite directions. There are generally two kinds of displacement, and the maximum value of the amplitude of one of these occurs at the same points as the minimum value of the amplitude of the other. Thus in the case of electromagnetic radiation the amplitude of the oscillations of the electric field has its greatest value at the points at which the magnetic oscillation is zero, and vice versa
Also called: stationary wave. Compare node, antinode
standing wave in American English
an oscillatory motion with a definite wavelength, frequency, and amplitude and having stationary, regularly spaced points where there is no motion: all the movement of the wave iscontained between these nodes, thus providing for no net transport of energy
Examples of 'standing wave' in a sentence
standing wave
The boat slapped a standing wave and for a moment we were airborne.