Unit 2 Lesson 2
Two students hold the ends of a jump rope. One student moves the jump rope up and down, making a wave. Then, the student moves it faster. Which quantity of the wave will increase? (1 point)
The frequency of the wave will increase.
To determine which quantity of the wave will increase when the student moves the jump rope faster, let's analyze the characteristics of a wave.
A wave is typically described by its amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and speed.
- Amplitude: It refers to the maximum displacement of the wave from its equilibrium position. In the context of the jump rope, when the student moves it faster, the amplitude of the wave will remain the same. The rope will still move up and down within a specific range of height.
- Wavelength: It represents the distance between two consecutive points on a wave that are in phase. When the student moves the jump rope faster, the wavelength of the wave will remain the same. The length of the rope between two consecutive peaks or troughs will not change.
- Frequency: It measures the number of complete wave cycles passing through a specific point per unit of time. When the student moves the jump rope faster, the frequency of the wave will increase. The wave cycles will pass through a fixed point more frequently within a given time interval.
- Speed: It represents how fast a wave propagates through a medium. When the student moves the jump rope faster, the speed of the wave will remain the same. The wave will still travel from one end of the jump rope to the other at a constant speed.
Therefore, the only quantity of the wave that will increase when the student moves the jump rope faster is the frequency.