Back to Discover
⚛️

Wave packet

physical science Maturity 5-7

A wave packet is a small burst of waves.

Wave packet (dispersion).gif
Wave packet (dispersion).gif
It moves like a single unit. Sometimes the waves stay the same shape. Sometimes they spread out. This helps us learn about tiny things. Can you see the waves move?
Wave packet propagation (phase faster than group, nondispersive).gif
Wave packet propagation (phase faster than group, nondispersive).gif

50 words
🖼️ Images & Media (10)
File:Wave packet propagation (phase faster than group, nondispersive).gif
Wave packet propagation (phase faster...
File:Wave packet (no dispersion).gif
Wave packet (no dispersion).gif
File:Wave packet (dispersion).gif
Wave packet (dispersion).gif
File:Guassian Dispersion.gif
Guassian Dispersion.gif
File:Wavepacket1.gif
Wavepacket1.gif
File:Wavepacket-a2k4-en (2X speed).gif
Wavepacket-a2k4-en (2X speed).gif
Gaussian wavepacket p0=0.webm
Gaussian wavepacket p0=1.webm
File:2D Gaussian Quantum Wave Packet.gif
2D Gaussian Quantum Wave Packet.gif
Airy wave train.webm
Up Next
⚛️
Group velocity
Physical Science
→
More to explore

✨ What else?

Related topics you might enjoy

Group velocity 0% Wave function 0% Phase velocity 0% Quantum superposition 0% Probability amplitude 0% Wave function collapse 0%

🔬 Go deeper

More advanced topics to explore

Wave function collapse Quantum mechanics Wavenumber Uncertainty principle

🪜 Step back

Simpler topics to build understanding

Group velocity Wave function Phase velocity Quantum superposition
📚 Content adapted from Wikipedia | Readability: FK 14.4 | Vital Level 5