Which statement is best supported by the table?
| Wave | Observations |
|---|---|
| W | Its motion is perpendicular to wave motion. |
| X | Its particles move up and down. |
| Y | Its particles only move small amounts. |
| Z | Its motion is parallel to wave motion. |
A. Waves W and Y are transverse waves, Wave X could be a longitudinal or transverse wave, and Wave Z is a longitudinal wave.
B. Waves W and Y are longitudinal waves, Wave X could be a longitudinal or transverse wave, and Wave Z is a transverse wave.
C. Waves W and X are longitudinal waves, Wave Y could be a longitudinal or transverse wave, and Wave Z is a transverse wave.
D. Waves W and X are transverse waves, Wave Y could be a longitudinal or transverse wave, and Wave Z is a longitudinal wave.
Answer (2)
Wave W's motion is perpendicular to the wave, so it is a transverse wave.
Wave X's particles move up and down, so it could be either a transverse or longitudinal wave.
Wave Y's particles move small amounts, so it could be either a transverse or longitudinal wave.
Wave Z's motion is parallel to the wave, so it is a longitudinal wave. Therefore, the best answer is: Waves W and X are transverse waves, Wave Y could be a longitudinal or transverse wave, and Wave Z is a longitudinal wave. Wa v es Wan d X a re t r an s v erse w a v es , Wa v e Y co u l d b e a l o n g i t u d ina l or t r an s v erse w a v e , an d Wa v e Z i s a l o n g i t u d ina lw a v e .
Explanation
Understanding the Problem Let's analyze the given table and the properties of transverse and longitudinal waves to determine the correct statement.
Definitions of Wave Types Transverse waves are waves where the motion of the particles is perpendicular to the direction of the wave. Longitudinal waves are waves where the motion of the particles is parallel to the direction of the wave.
Analyzing Wave W Wave W: Its motion is perpendicular to wave motion. This means Wave W is a transverse wave.
Analyzing Wave X Wave X: Its particles move up and down. This information alone doesn't tell us whether it's transverse or longitudinal because we don't know the direction of the wave's motion. It could be either.
Analyzing Wave Y Wave Y: Its particles only move small amounts. This also doesn't tell us about the direction of motion relative to the wave motion. It could be either transverse or longitudinal.
Analyzing Wave Z Wave Z: Its motion is parallel to wave motion. This means Wave Z is a longitudinal wave.
Comparing to Answer Choices Now, let's compare our analysis to the answer choices:
Option 1: Waves W and Y are transverse waves, Wave X could be a longitudinal or transverse wave, and Wave Z is a longitudinal wave. We know Wave W is transverse and Wave Z is longitudinal. Wave Y could be transverse, but it could also be longitudinal. So this statement is not fully correct.
Option 2: Waves W and Y are longitudinal waves, Wave X could be a longitudinal or transverse wave, and Wave Z is a transverse wave. This is incorrect because Wave W is transverse and Wave Z is longitudinal.
Option 3: Waves W and X are longitudinal waves, Wave Y could be a longitudinal or transverse wave, and Wave Z is a transverse wave. This is incorrect because Wave W is transverse and Wave Z is longitudinal.
Option 4: Waves W and X are transverse waves, Wave Y could be a longitudinal or transverse wave, and Wave Z is a longitudinal wave. We know Wave W is transverse and Wave Z is longitudinal. Wave X could be transverse. Wave Y could be either. So this statement is correct.
Final Answer Therefore, the best-supported statement is: Waves W and X are transverse waves, Wave Y could be a longitudinal or transverse wave, and Wave Z is a longitudinal wave.
Examples
Understanding wave types is crucial in many real-world applications. For example, in seismology, identifying transverse (S-waves) and longitudinal (P-waves) helps scientists understand the Earth's structure and locate earthquakes. Similarly, in telecommunications, understanding the properties of electromagnetic waves (which are transverse) is essential for designing efficient antennas and communication systems. The distinction between transverse and longitudinal waves also applies to medical imaging, such as ultrasound, where longitudinal waves are used to create images of internal organs.
The analysis of the waves indicates that Wave W is transverse, Wave X could be either transverse or longitudinal, Wave Y also could be either, and Wave Z is longitudinal. The correct choice based on this understanding is Option D. This classification aligns with the properties of wave motion.
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