To split a sine wave into its component parts, you can use a mathematical technique called Fourier analysis or Fourier transform. The Fourier transform allows you to decompose a complex waveform, such as a sine wave, into a combination of simpler sinusoidal components of different frequencies.
Here are the general steps to perform Fourier analysis on a sine wave:
Collect data: Obtain a sample of the sine wave you want to analyze. This could be a discrete set of time-domain samples or a continuous waveform.
Apply Fourier transform: Apply a mathematical algorithm, such as the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), to the collected data. The Fourier transform converts the time-domain representation of the waveform into its frequency-domain representation.
Analyze the frequency spectrum: The output of the Fourier transform will give you information about the amplitudes and phases of the individual sinusoidal components that make up the original sine wave. The resulting representation is called the frequency spectrum.
Identify the component parts: In the frequency spectrum, you can identify the frequency components corresponding to the sinusoidal components present in the original sine wave. The amplitudes and phases of these components indicate their contributions to the overall waveform.
By performing a Fourier analysis, you can determine the fundamental frequency of the sine wave (the frequency of the main component) and any additional harmonics or sub-harmonics that might be present. Each harmonic represents a multiple of the fundamental frequency.
It's important to note that the Fourier transform assumes the input waveform is periodic and composed of a finite number of discrete frequencies. In practice, some considerations like windowing functions, sampling rates, and signal duration may need to be taken into account to obtain accurate frequency information.