What is the term for the time required to complete one full cycle of a radio wave?

What is the term for the time required to complete one full cycle of a radio wave?

• A. Period
• B. Wavelength
• C. Frequency
• D. Phase

Answer: (A)

The time for one complete oscillation of a radio wave is the period. It tells you how long a single cycle lasts. If a wave oscillates at a frequency f (cycles per second), the relationship is T = 1/f, so higher frequency means a shorter period. For example, a 1 MHz wave has a period of 1 microsecond. The period is different from wavelength, which is the distance the wave travels in one cycle (λ = v/f, with v being the propagation speed). It’s also different from phase, which describes where you are within a cycle at a given moment, not how long the cycle takes.

The time for one complete oscillation of a radio wave is the period. It tells you how long a single cycle lasts. If a wave oscillates at a frequency f (cycles per second), the relationship is T = 1/f, so higher frequency means a shorter period. For example, a 1 MHz wave has a period of 1 microsecond. The period is different from wavelength, which is the distance the wave travels in one cycle (λ = v/f, with v being the propagation speed). It’s also different from phase, which describes where you are within a cycle at a given moment, not how long the cycle takes.