Question

Trevor is looking at data from an experiment where electromagnetic and mechanical waves were sent through various media. The movement of the particles in the wave and the behavior of the wave as it moved from air into each medium is shown in a table.


Wave Movement of Particles Behavior in Water Behavior in Vacuum
1 right and left slowed down sped up
2 front and back sped up no motion
3 front and back sped up no motion
4 up and down sped up no motion
5 right and left slowed down sped up

Trevor would like to determine which waves in the experiment were electromagnetic and which of the waves were mechanical. Which question should Trevor ask to help categorize the waves correctly?

Responses

What type of wave can travel through water?
What type of wave can travel through water?

What type of wave travels at the fastest speed?
What type of wave travels at the fastest speed?

What type of wave cannot travel through a vacuum?
What type of wave cannot travel through a vacuum?

What type of wave can change speed and direction?

Answer 1

"What type of wave cannot travel through a vacuum?"

Reason: Mechanical waves need a material medium, so they cannot travel through a vacuum; electromagnetic waves can. Using that question, Trevor can mark the waves that show "no motion" in vacuum as mechanical (waves 2, 3, and 4) and the ones that still travel in a vacuum as electromagnetic (waves 1 and 5).