What is the time it takes a wave to vibrate a single cycle called?

The time it takes a wave to complete a single cycle is known as the period. The period is measured in seconds and defines how long it takes for one full cycle of wave motion to occur, such as from one peak to the next peak or from one compression to the next compression in the case of sound waves.

Understanding the period is crucial in various applications, including sonography, where wave behavior is fundamental to imaging techniques. While frequency is the number of cycles per second, it is inversely related to the period. Therefore, an increase in frequency results in a decrease in period and vice versa. Amplitude refers to the height of the wave and indicates the strength or intensity of the wave, while wavelength denotes the distance between successive peaks in the wave. This distinction is essential for grasping how waves propagate and interact with different media in the context of medical imaging.