Question

Describing Types of Waves
A girl holds the end of rope tied at the other end to a tree. The rope is making 3 waves.
Which statements describe the wave? Check all that apply.

The wave is a mechanical wave.
The wave is an electromagnetic wave.
The wave moves energy through matter.
The wave moves energy through space without matter.
The wave transfers energy parallel to the motion of the wave.
The wave transfers energy perpendicular to the motion of the wave.

Answer 1

Correct choices:
- The wave is a mechanical wave. (Yes — it needs the rope as a medium.)
- The wave moves energy through matter. (Yes — the rope transmits the energy.)
- The wave transfers energy perpendicular to the motion of the wave. (Yes — this is a transverse wave: the rope’s particles oscillate perpendicular to the direction the wave travels.)

Not correct:
- The wave is an electromagnetic wave. (No — EM waves do not require a material medium.)
- The wave moves energy through space without matter. (No — this rope wave requires the rope.)
- The wave transfers energy parallel to the motion of the wave. (No — that describes a longitudinal wave, not the transverse rope wave.)