What term is used to describe the pattern of alternating light and dark bands produced by waves?

The term that describes the pattern of alternating light and dark bands produced by waves is known as "fringe." This pattern typically occurs as a result of interference, particularly in the context of light waves. When two coherent light waves overlap, they interact with each other: where the waves are in phase, they reinforce each other, creating bright bands, and where they are out of phase, they cancel each other out, resulting in dark bands. This phenomenon is crucial in experiments like the double-slit experiment, which demonstrates the wave nature of light.

The other terms are related but do not accurately describe this specific pattern. "Ripple" refers to small waves or undulations on the surface of a fluid. "Wavefront" is a concept that describes the surface over which an oscillation (such as a wave) has a constant phase. "Node" refers to specific points in a standing wave pattern where there is no movement due to destructive interference, rather than the pattern of light and dark bands itself.