# Animation of a plane wave

I want to animate in 3D the plane wave $\sin(\omega t+kx+\phi)$, but following the form from the documentation, I can only make $k$ or $\omega$ vary, and I want $t$ to change. How do I do that?

• Thank you. There's no really much of a code. I just don't know how to use this function. There may be some proper tag for questions like this, maybe, that I should have used. I wrote this: Animate[Plot3D[ Sin[[Omega]*t + k*x + [Pi]/3], {x, -2, 2}, {t, -5, 5}], {k, -1, 1}] – Caneholder123 May 1 '15 at 18:29

where {x,y} or x in the wave function definition is a 2D vector (in order to be able to draw it; in reality, x is a 3D vector and there would be no way to plot), k is the wave vector (I just used {1, 1} for demonstration), its magnitude is related to wavelength as $k = 2\pi/\lambda$ where $\lambda$ is the wavelength, its direction relates to the direction of the wave (energy) propagation. ω is the frequency (I chose 1) and ϕ is the phase which I chose as 0.
• Aha, I get, it is $k$, $\omega$ and $\phi$. Whoa, I'm really a beginner. – Caneholder123 May 1 '15 at 18:37