Wave Front Diagram - GCSE Physics Definition

A wave front diagram is a visual way to show how waves, like light or sound waves, move through a space. Imagine dropping a stone in a pond; the ripples spreading out are like wave fronts. In a wave front diagram, these ripples are drawn as lines, representing the crest of the wave. The distance between the lines shows the frequency of the wave, and the closer together they are, the higher the frequency. This type of diagram helps students understand how waves travel, spread out, or get closer together as they move through different areas, which is important when studying things like light reflection, refraction and diffraction.