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plane wave
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Figure 2: Interference of two plane waves AB and CD with directions inclined at an angle α. The crests of CD are represented as C1D1, C2D2, etc., and the troughs are shown as broken lines (see text). Diagram illustrating Huygens' principle with labeled plane and spherical wave fronts on the left, showing how each point on a wave front acts as a source of expanding spherical waves, and a depiction on the right of diffracted waves emerging from a transmission grating as curved lines formed by the combination of secondary wavelets. spherical and plane wave fronts
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plane wave

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Figure 2: Interference of two plane waves AB and CD with directions inclined at an angle α. The crests of CD are represented as C1D1, C2D2, etc., and the troughs are shown as broken lines (see text).
Figure 2: Interference of two plane waves AB and CD with directions inclined at an angle α. The crests of CD are represented as C1D1, C2D2, etc., and the troughs are shown as broken lines (see text).

A plane wave is a wave where the wave fronts are flat surfaces, and the rays are parallel. This is in contrast to spherical waves, which expand outward from a source in all directions. While not a perfect representation of real-world phenomena like sound, the plane wave model is a useful theoretical tool for understanding wave properties.123

Key characteristics of a plane wave include:
* Wavelength ((\lambda)): The distance over which the wave's shape repeats.2
* Period ((T)): The time it takes for one full wavelength to pass a point.2
* Frequency ((f)): The number of wavelengths passing a point per second, measured in hertz.2
* Amplitude ((A)): The magnitude of the pressure variation from equilibrium, measured in pascals.3

The amplitude of a sound wave determines its intensity, which is perceived as loudness.3

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. plane wave
  2. sound - Wavelength , period , and frequency
  3. sound - Mathematical values

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