Wave Front (Noun)

Meaning ¹

(physics) an imaginary surface joining all points in space that are reached at the same instant by a wave propagating through a medium.

Classification

Nouns denoting spatial position.

Examples

• The water ripples created a visible wave front as the stone disturbed the pond's surface.
• Researchers analyzed the three-dimensional model to better understand the wave front behavior of the laser beam.
• When a wave front encounters an obstacle, it can curve around the edges, resulting in diffraction.
• Engineers carefully designed the optical system to correct for distortions in the wave front as it propagated through the lens.
• The shape of the wave front changed dramatically as it passed from air into the denser medium of glass.

Synonyms

• Wavefront

Meaning ²

All the points just reached by a wave as it propagates.

Classification

Nouns denoting natural phenomena.

Examples

• The wave front of the tsunami caused widespread destruction along the coastline.
• Seismologists studied the seismic wave front to determine the epicenter of the earthquake.
• In optics, the wave front of a light beam is important in the study of diffraction and interference.
• The speed of the wave front was significantly slower in the denser medium.
• The surface defined by the locus of points on the wave front is called the wavefront in electromagnetic theory.