Question

This model shows the transverse wave Maya creates in one battle rope. Maya is 5 feet, 5 inches tall.

Which is the best estimate of the wave's wavelength?
Which is the best estimate of the wave's amplitude?

Answer 1

I don’t see the picture — could you upload it (or describe how many peaks/troughs and how they line up with Maya)? I need the image or a few measurements to give a numeric estimate.

If you want to do the estimate yourself, here’s how to get the answers using Maya’s height as the scale:
- First convert Maya’s height to one unit you’ll use: 5 ft 5 in = 65 in = 165.1 cm ≈ 1.651 m.
- Wavelength λ: measure the horizontal distance between two adjacent crests (or two adjacent troughs). If you measure that distance on the photo (in inches, cm, or pixels), compare it to Maya’s height on the same photo to convert to meters/feet.
- Example: if crest-to-crest on the photo equals Maya’s height, λ ≈ 1.65 m (≈ 5.4 ft).
- Amplitude A: measure the vertical distance from the midline (equilibrium) to a crest. If you can only measure crest-to-trough, amplitude = (crest-to-trough distance)/2. Again convert using Maya’s height on the photo.
- Example: if crest-to-trough measures half of Maya’s height, crest-to-trough ≈ 0.825 m so amplitude ≈ 0.4125 m (≈ 16.25 in).

If you upload the image (or give pixel or photo measurements: Maya’s height in pixels and crest-to-crest and crest-to-trough in pixels), I’ll compute the best estimates for wavelength and amplitude.