Question

Explain how a standing wave forms and describe the characteristics of a standing wave, including an explanation of nodes and antinodes, and the type of wave interference represented by both nodes and antinodes.

Answer 1

A standing wave pattern is a vibrational pattern created within a medium when the vibrational frequency of the source causes reflected waves from one end of the medium to interfere with incident waves from the source. One characteristic of every standing wave pattern is that there are points along the medium that appear to be standing still. These points, sometimes described as points of no displacement, are referred to as nodes. There are other points along the medium that undergo vibrations between a large positive and large negative displacement. These are the points that undergo the maximum displacement during each vibrational cycle of the standing wave. In a sense, these points are the opposite of nodes, and so they are called anti-nodes. A standing wave pattern always consists of an alternating pattern of nodes and anti-nodes.
*note* this is copied off of various sites and not my own work. sites are listed below.
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/waves/Lesson-4/Nodes-and-Anti-nodes
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/waves/Lesson-4/Formation-of-Standing-Waves