Node (physics)

A nodal surface describes the seemingly fixed interference minimum a multi-dimensional standing wave:

  • One-dimensional standing waves (guitar string ) to swing ( zero-dimensional ) point-like wave or vibration nodes
  • Two-dimensional standing waves (eg Gong ) swing around (one-dimensional ) line-like nodal surfaces
  • Three-dimensional standing waves oscillate about (two-dimensional ) nodal surfaces.

Important applications are in electrical engineering, in swinging musical instruments as well as in theoretical chemistry:

Two-dimensional standing waves in the music: Chladni modes of a guitar top with line-like nodal surfaces

Three-dimensional standing waves in chemistry: Probability densities of the first (1s ) and second ( 2s, 2p ) electron shell. The nodal surfaces of the 2p orbitals can be seen as constrictions.

Atomic orbital Node (physics)#Chemistry Weber bar
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