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Waterfall plot

Waterfall plot is a engineering topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Waterfall plot rather than just read about it. In short: Waterfall plots are often used to show how two-dimensional phenomena change over time. A three-dimensional spectral waterfall plot is a plot in which multiple curves of data, typically spectra, are displayed simultaneously.

Waterfall plot — main illustration
Waterfall plot — illustration

Key takeaways

  • Waterfall plot belongs to engineering; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect Waterfall plot to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of Waterfall plot from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Waterfall plots are often used to show how two-dimensional phenomena change over time. A three-dimensional spectral waterfall plot is a plot in which multiple curves of data, typically spectra, are displayed simultaneously. Typically the curves are staggered both across the screen and vertically, with "nearer" curves masking the ones behind. The result is a series of "mountain" shapes that appear to be side by side. The waterfall plot is often used to show how two-dimensional information changes over time or some other variable such as rotational speed. Waterfall plots are also often used to depict spectrograms or cumulative spectral decay (CSD).

Uses

The results of spectral density estimation, showing the spectrum of the signal at successive intervals of time. The delayed response from a loudspeaker or listening room produced by impulse response testing or MLSSA. Spectra at different engine speeds when testing engines.

See also Loudspeaker acoustics Loudspeaker measurement

References

External links Typical engine vibration waterfall Waterfall FFT Matlab script

Illustrations

Waterfall plot: FM station broadcasting at 91.7 MHz on seen on a spectrogram
FM station broadcasting at 91.7 MHz on seen on a spectrogram
Waterfall plot: The upper half of this diagram shows the frequency spectrum of a modern switching power supply which employs spread spectrum. The lower half is a waterfall plot showing the variation of the frequency spectrum over time during the power supply's heating-up period.
The upper half of this diagram shows the frequency spectrum of a modern switching power supply which employs spread spectrum. The lower half is a waterfall plot showing the variation of the frequency spectrum over time during the power supply's heating-up period.
Waterfall plot: Spectrogram and 3 styles of waterfall plot of a whistled sequence of 3 notes vs time
Spectrogram and 3 styles of waterfall plot of a whistled sequence of 3 notes vs time

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Waterfall plot

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Waterfall plot claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In engineering, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Waterfall plot before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Waterfall plot ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Waterfall plot

In research
Waterfall plot appears in engineering research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses Waterfall plot in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
Waterfall plot is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Acoustics, Audio engineering, Broadcast engineering, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for Waterfall plot outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.
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How to study Waterfall plot in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what Waterfall plot means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain Waterfall plot out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Waterfall plot in simple terms?

Waterfall plots are often used to show how two-dimensional phenomena change over time. A three-dimensional spectral waterfall plot is a plot in which multiple curves of data, typically spectra, are displayed simultaneously.

Why does Waterfall plot matter?

Because it connects several engineering ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Waterfall plot?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Waterfall plot.

Tags

  • Acoustics
  • Audio engineering
  • Broadcast engineering
  • Metaphors referring to water
  • Plots (graphics)
  • Sound production technology
  • Sound recording

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