There are many different types of waves - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 1 - 2016 - Paper 1
Question 1
There are many different types of waves.
(a) Waves on the surface of water are transverse waves.
Sound waves are longitudinal waves.
Describe the difference between... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:There are many different types of waves - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 1 - 2016 - Paper 1
Step 1
Describe the difference between transverse waves and longitudinal waves.
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Answer
Transverse waves are characterized by oscillations that occur perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation. This means the particles move up and down while the wave itself travels horizontally. In contrast, longitudinal waves have oscillations that occur in the same direction as the wave travels, causing particles to compress and rarefy along the path of the wave.
Step 2
Which of these is a reason why the estimate is not correct?
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Answer
The most appropriate option is A: the student used a ruler without mm markings. This could lead to inaccuracies in measurement, thus affecting the estimated speed of the water wave.