A one-dimensional wave function u(x,t) is a function that shows a disturbance at position x and and time t. The disturbance can be mass density, pressure, or electric field depending on the physical context. Although a sinusoidal wave function is a very common type type of disturbance, we should remember that there are many other wave functions, such as shock waves, that do not fit this functional form.
Enter an analytic function u(x,t) and observe its time evolution. How many sample points are needed to accurately represent the shape of the wave function?
This simulation was created by Wolfgang Christian using the Easy Java Simulations (Ejs) modeling tool. You can modify this simulation if you have Ejs installed by right-clicking within a plot and selecting "Open Ejs Model" from the pop-up menu. Information about Ejs is available at: <http://www.um.es/fem/Ejs/>.