The image shows two students modeling a light wave by continuously moving the ends of the rope up and down.

Picture of a boy and girl shaking a rope up and down to model a transverse wave.
Source: Oxford Designers & Illustrators Ltd. Pearson Education Ltd

How would the waves change if the students continued moving the ends of the rope up and down the same distance but moved the ends faster?

(1 point)
Responses

The amplitude would increase and the frequency would decrease, but the wavelength would be unchanged.

The frequency would increase and the wavelength would decrease, but the amplitude would be unchanged.

The wavelength would increase and the amplitude would decrease, but the frequency would be unchanged.

The wavelength would increase and the frequency would decrease, but the amplitude would be unchanged.

1 answer

If the students continued moving the ends of the rope up and down the same distance (which means the amplitude stays the same) but moved the ends faster, the waves produced would have a higher frequency because they are creating more wave cycles in a given amount of time. According to the wave relationship, if the frequency increases and the amplitude remains constant, the wavelength, which is the distance between consecutive wave peaks, would decrease.

Therefore, the correct response would be:

The frequency would increase and the wavelength would decrease, but the amplitude would be unchanged.