Standing waves are produced whenever two waves of identical frequency interfere with one another while traveling opposite directions along the same medium. Standing wave patterns are characterized by certain fixed points along the medium which undergo no displacement.

What causes a standing wave?

Standing wave, also called stationary wave, combination of two waves moving in opposite directions, each having the same amplitude and frequency. The phenomenon is the result of interference; that is, when waves are superimposed, their energies are either added together or canceled out.

Where do standing waves occur?

Standing waves don't go anywhere, but they do have regions where the disturbance of the wave is quite small, almost zero. These locations are called nodes . There are also regions where the disturbance is quite intense, greater than anywhere else in the medium, called antinodes .