Question

You are at a pool party and notice that 2 waves pass by a floating ball in 4 seconds. If the distance between each wave crest is 2 meters, what is the speed of the waves?Note:To calculate frequency, use the equation: Frequency = Number of waves / Time (Remember, the / symbol means division)Then, to calculate wave speed, use the equation: Wave speed (m/s) = Frequency (Hz) x Wavelength (m)(1 point)

Answer 1

To find the speed of the waves, we need to calculate the frequency first and then use the wave speed formula.

1. Calculate the frequency:

   • Number of waves = 2
   • Time = 4 seconds

   Frequency (f) = Number of waves / Time \( f = \frac{2 \text{ waves}}{4 \text{ seconds}} = 0.5 \text{ Hz} \)

2. Given the wavelength:

   • Wavelength (λ) = 2 meters

3. Calculate the wave speed: Wave speed (v) = Frequency (f) x Wavelength (λ) \( v = 0.5 \text{ Hz} \times 2 \text{ m} = 1 \text{ m/s} \)

Thus, the speed of the waves is 1 m/s.