Wavelength

(λ) the distance between two similar and consecutive points on a wave, which have exactly the same displacement value from the rest position (that is, the same amplitude). An example would be the distance between two crests (maximum displacement) or two troughs (maximum displacement). Wavelength is a measure of distance and hence has units of metres (m).

Taken from Dictionary of Science

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In physics, the wavelength of a sinusoidal wave is the spatial period of the wave – the distance over which the wave's shape repeats. It is usually determined by considering the distance between consecutive corresponding points of the same phase, such as crests, troughs, or zero crossings, and is a characteristic of both traveling waves and standing waves, as well as other spatial wave patterns. Wavelength is commonly designated by the Greek letter lambda (λ). The concept can also be applied to periodic waves of non-sinusoidal shape. The term wavelength is also sometimes applied to modulated waves, and to the sinusoidal envelopes of modulated waves or waves formed by interference of several sinusoids.

Assuming a sinusoidal wave moving at a fixed wave speed, wavelength is inversely proportional to frequency: waves with higher frequencies have shorter wavelengths, and lower frequencies have longer wavelengths.

Examples of wave-like phenomena are sound waves, light, and water waves. A sound wave is a periodic variation in air pressure, while in light and other electromagnetic radiation the strength of the electric and the magnetic field vary. Water waves are periodic variations in the height of a body of water. In a crystal lattice vibration, atomic positions vary periodically in both lattice position and time.

Wavelength is a measure of the distance between repetitions of a shape feature such as peaks, valleys, or zero-crossings, not a measure of how far any given particle moves. For example, in waves over deep water a particle in the water moves in a circle of the same diameter as the wave height, unrelated to wavelength.

Taken from Wikipedia

Choosing a Career: Where Do You Start?

One of life's biggest questions concerns what we will do with the rest of our lives. What will you do 40 hours a week, 50 weeks a year?

A career may be 10 years in the future for you, but it's not too early to start planning.

I started working when I was 16. One year later, I had a different job. Later, I had five jobs within one year! I was certainly successful at getting jobs--but not the right job!

Somehow I thought my high school guidance counselor was there to counsel other people. Career selection seemed in the distant future.

Later my university told me where their career planning office was, but they didn't force me to go. I wish they would have.

Take a look at your interests. Take a look at jobs that are interesting. What do you enjoy doing? Look at adults you admire. What do they do? Would you enjoy it? Could you learn those skills?

If you know you want to be a farmer, auto mechanic, librarian, rocket scientist or dentist, that's great. Begin planning now.

Talk to your school's guidance counselors. Even if they don't know much about your interests, they have books that can help. Those books list possible occupations, average salaries, job demand, education needed and many other facets of employment success. Counselors can also help you determine your employable interests and skills, and what people with personalities like yours enjoy doing.

Your counselor can't do the decision making for you. But please go. You don't want the race to start without you.

- By Michael Morrison

Taken from Youth 90 magazine