Sine Wave Generator & Spectrum Analyzer

Laboratory Exercise Overview

This interactive exercise allows you to generate sine waves at specific frequencies (100Hz, 300Hz, 500Hz, 1000Hz, and 2000Hz), listen to them through your speakers, and visualize their waveform and frequency spectrum in real-time.

Learning Objectives:

Understand the characteristics of sine waves in the audio frequency range
Observe the relationship between frequency and pitch perception
Analyze frequency spectra using Fourier Transform principles
Explore harmonics and frequency domain representation

Frequency Controls

Volume: 50%

Ready. Click a frequency button to start.

Wave Properties

Active Frequency

- Hz

Wave Period

- ms

Wavelength (in air)

- m

Sound Speed (air)

343 m/s

Sine Wave Equation

The sine wave is described by the equation:

y(t) = A × sin(2πft + φ)

Where:

A = Amplitude (loudness, controlled by volume)
f = Frequency (pitch, in Hertz)
t = Time (seconds)
φ = Phase angle (set to 0 in this exercise)

Time Domain: Sine Waveform

The sine wave shown over time (2 cycles displayed).

Frequency Domain: Spectrum Analysis

Frequency spectrum showing amplitude vs frequency.

Electrical Engineering Concepts

Sine Waves in Electrical Engineering: Sine waves are fundamental in electrical engineering as they represent pure alternating current (AC) signals. The frequency determines how fast the signal oscillates, with 1 Hz equal to one complete cycle per second.

Spectrum Analysis: The frequency spectrum shows the amplitude of different frequency components in a signal. A pure sine wave appears as a single peak at its frequency. This visualization uses a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm to convert the time-domain signal to the frequency domain.

Human Hearing Range: The frequencies in this exercise (100-2000 Hz) fall within the most sensitive range of human hearing (20-20,000 Hz). Notice how higher frequencies are perceived as higher pitches.

Practical Applications: Understanding sine waves and frequency analysis is essential for audio engineering, telecommunications, signal processing, and electrical circuit design.