Waveform

From WikiMD's Food, Medicine & Wellness Encyclopedia

Waveform is a graphical representation of a signal's variation over time. It can be visualized in a graph where the X-axis represents time and the Y-axis represents amplitude. Waveforms are used in many fields, including music, electronics, and medicine.

Types of Waveforms[edit | edit source]

There are several types of waveforms, each with its own unique characteristics. These include:

  • Sine wave: This is the most basic type of waveform. It is smooth and continuous, and it represents a single frequency with no harmonics.
  • Square wave: This waveform has a sharp, abrupt transition between high and low levels. It contains a fundamental frequency and an infinite series of odd harmonics.
  • Triangle wave: This waveform has a linear rise and fall. It contains a fundamental frequency and an infinite series of odd harmonics, but the amplitude of the harmonics decreases more rapidly than in a square wave.
  • Sawtooth wave: This waveform has a linear rise and a sudden fall, or vice versa. It contains a fundamental frequency and an infinite series of both even and odd harmonics.

Waveform in Medicine[edit | edit source]

In medicine, waveforms are used in various diagnostic tools such as ECG and EEG. These tools measure the electrical activity of the heart and brain, respectively, and display the results as waveforms. By analyzing these waveforms, healthcare professionals can diagnose a variety of conditions.

Waveform in Electronics[edit | edit source]

In electronics, waveforms are used in signal processing and in the design of electronic circuits. For example, oscillators generate waveforms that are used in radios, televisions, and computers.

See Also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]


Waveform Resources
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD