wave equation

noun

: a partial differential equation of the second order whose solutions describe wave phenomena

Examples of wave equation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The Universe Is Inherently Probabilistic Over a twelve-month period in 1926, at the age of thirty-eight, Erwin Schrödinger (1887–1961) wrote six major papers that would lay the foundation of quantum mechanics and introduce us all to his famous wave equation. Scott Bembenek, Discover Magazine, 7 June 2017 For analyzing electromagnetics, the RF Module enables the use of Maxwell’s equations to solve for the wave equation at every point within the model that is impacted by electromagnetic fields. IEEE Spectrum, 20 Jan. 2023 All that can be said for sure is that the electron moves between quantum states according to the probability determined by Schrödinger’s wave equation. Scott Bembenek, Discover Magazine, 7 June 2017 In the mathematics, there’s the part of the wave equation where every wave is just minding its own business. Quanta Magazine, 12 Dec. 2022 As their number rises, using Schrödinger’s wave equation to account for the constant contact between all electrons grows exponentially harder. Quanta Magazine, 7 Feb. 2022 There's the Momentum Principle, the wave equation, Schrödinger's equation, and a whole bunch of other stuff. Rhett Allain, Wired, 17 Sep. 2020 The solutions to the wave equation describing a particle in this system can be labeled ψA when slit A is open and ψB when slit B is open. Urbasi Sinha, Scientific American, 7 Jan. 2020 According to his wave equation, macroscopic objects are composed of microscopic atoms and molecules. Peter Byrne, Quanta Magazine, 30 July 2013

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wave equation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wave equation was in 1926

Dictionary Entries Near wave equation

Cite this Entry

“Wave equation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wave%20equation. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

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