Lesson 04
Phase Waves
A change applied to one part of a connected system does not instantly affect every other part. Instead, the change travels through the relationships between neighbouring systems.
Click a node in the chain below to disturb it. Watch how the change propagates outwards to its neighbours — a phase wave, built from local interactions alone.
Learning objectives
- See that a disturbance travels through neighbouring relationships.
- Observe how coupling strength changes propagation speed.
- Watch damping reduce motion over time.
- Compare fixed, free and ring boundaries.
- Recognise that phase can travel without every system changing at once.
Click any node to send a phase disturbance along the chain.
Energy
0%The disturbance becomes more spread out as it travels.
Wave speed
Fast
Live explanation
Click any node in the chain to send a disturbance through the neighbouring systems.
What to notice
- Disturbances travel through neighbouring relationships.
- Coupling controls how quickly information spreads.
- Damping gradually reduces motion.
- Boundaries affect wave behaviour.
- Phase can propagate without every system changing simultaneously.
A note on this lesson
This lesson uses a simplified deterministic model of a chain of coupled phase systems. It illustrates general wave behaviour that emerges from local interactions.
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