Waveform plot for sine wave

Using Audacity 2.4.2 and Windows 10.

What causes the pretty pattern on constant tone waveform plots(sine wave)? Like the attached screen shot for a 100 Hz tone generated for six seconds?

Jim Brunner
100 Hz tone for six seconds.png

It’s a kind of Moiré pattern caused by the regularly spaced pixels.

Hmmm, I would say it goes even much deeper than that - it comes from the First Principle!

Wikipedia defines “first principle” as: “a basic proposition or assumption that cannot be deduced from any other proposition or assumption.”

Which basic proposition are you referring to? How does that “first principal” apply to the point in question?


PS. It’s a kind of Moiré pattern due to the repeating pattern of the waveform “overlaying” the repeating pattern of “dots” (pixels) on the display. It’s a form of aliasing, due to undersampling a fine regular pattern.

Steve,

I was alluding to the theory of the Fine-tuned Universe where the amount of detail, accuracy, and order necessary for the universe to function is found in everything that exists – even in apparent chaos. And specifically, the order found in math is particularly relevant as it is math that, in this case, is generating the wave forms.

Maybe I was getting too philosophical after my second Manhattan - I was preparing myself to watch some of the DNC.

Mike