A stationary wave is formed when
- A. two identical waves travel in the same direction
- B. two identical waves travel in opposite directions and superpose
- C. a wave is absorbed by a wall
- D. a single wave travels through a very long medium
Explanation
Usually the incident wave and its own reflection interfere, producing a pattern with fixed nodes of zero displacement and antinodes of maximum displacement. No energy is transported along a stationary wave, unlike a progressive wave, which is the essential difference between them. The distance between two adjacent nodes is half a wavelength.