Which sound parameter is defined as the distance between successive peaks of the pressure wave?

Which sound parameter is defined as the distance between successive peaks of the pressure wave?

• A. Amplitude
• B. Wavelength
• C. Pressure
• D. Pulse repetition frequency

Answer: (B)

Wavelength is the distance between successive peaks of a pressure wave. In a sound wave, the air alternates between compressions and rarefactions, creating a repeating pattern where each crest marks a peak in pressure; the spatial interval from one crest to the next is the wavelength. This parameter ties to how fast the wave travels and how often it oscillates: lambda equals the speed of sound divided by the frequency, so higher frequency means a shorter wavelength. The other terms describe different aspects: amplitude is how tall the pressure variation is (loudness), pressure is the actual pressure at a point (not the spacing), and pulse repetition frequency is how many pulses occur per second (a timing rate, not a spacing between peaks).

Wavelength is the distance between successive peaks of a pressure wave. In a sound wave, the air alternates between compressions and rarefactions, creating a repeating pattern where each crest marks a peak in pressure; the spatial interval from one crest to the next is the wavelength. This parameter ties to how fast the wave travels and how often it oscillates: lambda equals the speed of sound divided by the frequency, so higher frequency means a shorter wavelength. The other terms describe different aspects: amplitude is how tall the pressure variation is (loudness), pressure is the actual pressure at a point (not the spacing), and pulse repetition frequency is how many pulses occur per second (a timing rate, not a spacing between peaks).