What is the period of a wave?

The period of a wave is defined as the time it takes for one complete cycle of the wave to pass a given point. This means that if you were to observe a wave, the period is the duration needed for a single wave crest to travel past you and return to the starting position, producing the next wave. Understanding this concept is crucial in wave mechanics, as it relates directly to how waves propagate and interact with their environment.

The other options address different characteristics of waves; for example, the distance between two waves is known as the wavelength, while the amplitude refers to the maximum height of the wave from its rest position. Frequency, on the other hand, indicates how many waves pass a point in one second, which is inversely related to the period—the higher the frequency, the shorter the period, and vice versa. Understanding these concepts helps in grasping the broader frameworks of wave behavior in physics.