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Intensity of Progressive Waves

The intensity of any wave follows the inverse square law.

Inverse square law

Inverse square law

  • A physical quantity follows an inverse square law if it is proportional to the reciprocal of the distance squared.
  • The intensity of a wave II is one such quantity, which can be written as:
    • I=kd2I = \frac{k}{d^2}
  • Where dd is the distance from the wave source and kk is the constant of proportionality.
Intensity and power

Intensity and power

  • By definition, the intensity (I) of any wave is the time-averaged power (P) it transfers per area (A) through some region of space.
  • The units of intensity are therefore Watts per square metre (Wm-2).
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Structure & Bonding

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Waves in Communication

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