8.1.2—Experiments that demonstrate stationary waves using microwaves, stretched

Reflected and incident microwaves can form a stationary pattern. A probe finds alternating nodes of minimum signal and antinodes of maximum signal.

The distance between adjacent nodes or adjacent antinodes is λ/2, so scan spacing must be doubled to obtain wavelength.

If adjacent signal minima are 1.5 cm apart, the microwave wavelength is 3.0 cm.

A node is not half a wavelength apart from the next antinode; node-to-antinode spacing is λ/4.