Speed of High and Low Frequency Wave Trains

High frequency and low frequency wave trains travel at the same speed.

Discussion

High and low frequency wave trains travel down the wave demonstrator at the same speed. While the amplitude of the high frequency short wavelength waves is less than the amplitude of the low frequency long wavelength waves that follow, if you step through this movie you can see that the distance between peaks (one-half wavelength) is smaller for the high frequency wave train than for the low frequency wave train.

When the wave trains reach the free end of the wave demonstrator, they are reflected without inversion and without change in wave speed. Wave speed in a wave demonstrator is independent of both wave frequency and direction.