wave equation

noun

1. Mathematics, Physics. any differential equation that describes the propagation of waves or other disturbances in a medium.
2. Physics. any of the fundamental equations of quantum mechanics whose solutions are possible wave functions of a particle.

wave equation

noun

1. physics a partial differential equation describing wave motion. It has the form ∇²φ = (1/ c ²) × (∂²φ/∂ t ²), where ∇² is the Laplace operator, t the time, c the speed of propagation, and φ is a function characterizing the displacement of the wave

wave equation

1. A partial differential equation that describes the shape and movement of waves, given a set of boundary conditions (such as the initial shape of the wave, or the evolution of a force affecting the wave).
2. The fundamental equation of wave mechanics.
3. See also Schrödinger's equation

Word History and Origins

Origin of wave equation¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

By assuming that the speed of a wave can vary with time, the researchers were able to write down what they call an accelerating wave equation.

From Science Daily

Quantum theory describes fundamental particles not just as physical waves but also as being determined by the so-called wave equation, whose solutions may be designated by the Greek letter psi, ψ.

From Scientific American

The solution to the Schrödinger wave equation is no exception.

From Salon

The mathematics describing these waves is the Schrodinger “wave equation,” also called the “wave function,” and to this day, no one can agree on what it means.

From Washington Post

The range of places we can find it follows a statistical pattern defined by the wave equation, but until we do a measurement, we have no idea which place it will be.

From Washington Post