The amount two electrical waveforms are out of phase is measured in __________.

• A. degrees
• B. radians
• C. volts
• D. hertz

Answer: (A)

Phase difference between two waveforms is an angular measure of how far one wave is shifted relative to the other. This shift corresponds to a portion of a full cycle, so it’s described as an angle. Degrees are a practical and common unit for this, with 0 to 360 degrees covering a complete cycle. Radians are another valid unit (0 to 2π), but volts and hertz measure amplitude and frequency, not the timing between waveforms. So the amount they are out of phase is expressed in degrees (and can also be in radians in other contexts). For example, a 90-degree phase difference means the waves are a quarter cycle apart.