Question

Yulia observed a sound wave moving through a solid medium at four different temperatures, and she recorded observations about each one in the chart.

A 2-column table with 4 rows. The first column labeled Wave has entries W, X, Y, Z. The second column labeled Temperature (degrees Celsius) has entries 15, 33, 12, 2.
Which correctly ranks, from fastest to slowest, the time it will take one wavelength to pass a certain point?

Wave X → Wave Y → Wave W → Wave Z
Wave Z → Wave W → Wave Y → Wave X
Wave X → Wave W → Wave Y → Wave Z
Wave Z → Wave Y → Wave W → Wave X

Answer 1

Time for one wavelength to pass = (wavelength) / (wave speed). In a solid the speed of sound generally decreases as temperature increases (stiffer/colder solids transmit sound faster), so the coldest wave is fastest (shortest time) and the warmest is slowest. Ordering by temperature 2°C, 12°C, 15°C, 33°C gives:

Wave Z → Wave Y → Wave W → Wave X