Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-fluids-and-waves-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2017/3/a/i/solution

Represent a time-harmonic wave by , with . The angular frequency is the rate at which the wave phase changes at a fixed position, measured in radians per unit time. The wavenumber is its spatial rate of change, measured in radians per unit length. One full spatial cycle defines the wavelength , and one temporal cycle defines the wave period , so
The ordinary frequency is ; the paper's symbol denotes angular frequency.

New to topics? Read the docs here!