Particle displacement

Particle displacement or particle amplitude ξ is a distance measurement in m (metre) of the movement of a particle(real or imagined) in a medium as it transmits a wave. In most cases this is a longitudinal wave of pressure as with sound, but it can also be a transverse wave as with the vibration of a taut string. When applied to a sound wave through a medium of air, particle displacement would be the physical movement back and forth of a molecule of air in the direction the sound wave is travelling as it passes.

It can be represented in terms of other measurements:

<math>

\xi = \frac{v}{\omega} = \frac{v}{2 \cdot \pi \cdot f} = \frac{p}{Z \cdot \omega} = \frac{p}{Z \cdot 2 \cdot \pi \cdot f} = \frac{a}{\omega^2} = \frac{1}{\omega}\sqrt{\frac{J}{Z}} = \frac{1}{\omega}\sqrt{\frac{E}{\rho}} = \frac{1}{\omega}\sqrt{\frac{P_{ac}}{Z \cdot A}} <math>

See also

• Particle velocity
• Sound pressure
• Wave