Wave vector
In physics, a wave vector (also spelled wavevector) is a vector which helps describe a wave. Like any vector, it has a magnitude and direction, both of which are important: Its magnitude is either the wavenumber or angular wavenumber of the wave (inversely proportional to the wavelength), and its direction is ordinarily the direction of wave propagation (but not always, see below).
In the context of special relativity the wave vector can also be defined as a four-vector.
There are two common definitions of wave vector, which differ by a factor of 2π in their magnitudes. One definition is preferred in physics and related fields, while the other definition is preferred in crystallography and related fields. For this article, they will be called the "physics definition" and the "crystallography definition", respectively.
A perfect one-dimensional traveling wave follows the equation:
where:
This wave travels in the +x direction with speed (more specifically, phase velocity) .
In crystallography, the same waves are described using slightly different equations. In one and three dimensions respectively:
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