Final answer:
The distance a wave travels during a single period is one wavelength, which is the distance from one crest of the wave to the next.
Step-by-step explanation:
During a single period, the distance traveled by a wave is typically one wavelength. A wavelength is the distance between two consecutive points of similar position—such as two crests or two troughs—along the wave. This measurement is commonly represented by the Greek letter lambda (λ) and can be measured in meters, centimeters, or any convenient unit of length.
The concept of a wave cycle is important to understand this further. A wave cycle includes one full wave, beginning at the baseline, peaking at the crest, dropping to the trough, and returning to the baseline. When a wave completes one full cycle, it has traveled a distance equal to its wavelength. Therefore, in one period—the time it takes for one complete wave cycle—the wave will have moved forward by exactly one wavelength.