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Wave Number

Description:

Wave number is a concept in physics that is used to describe the spatial frequency of a wave. It is defined as the reciprocal of the wavelength and is often denoted by the symbol k.

Senses:

Sense 1: In physics, the wave number represents the number of waves that exist in a unit distance, such as one meter or one centimeter.

Sense 2: In optics, the wave number refers to the spatial frequency of an electromagnetic wave, particularly in the context of light waves.

Usage Examples:

Example 1: The wave number of a radio wave with a wavelength of 1 meter is 1 wave per meter.

Example 2: The wave number of a light wave traveling in a medium can be calculated by dividing the speed of light by the wavelength.

Example 3: The wave numbers of the spectral lines emitted by different elements can be used to analyze their atomic structure.

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