Question

A vibrator is sending out 10 crests per second across a water tank. The crests are observed to be 5 cm apart. What is the velocity of the wave?

Answer 1

To determine the velocity of the wave, we can use the formula:

Velocity (v) = Frequency (f) × Wavelength (λ)

Given: Frequency (f) = 10 crests per second Wavelength (λ) = 5 cm

First, we need to convert the wavelength to meters since velocity is typically measured in meters per second. 1 cm = 0.01 m, so:

Wavelength (λ) = 5 cm × 0.01 m/cm = 0.05 m

Now, we can substitute the values into the formula:

Velocity (v) = 10 crests/s × 0.05 m/crest = 0.5 m/s

Therefore, the velocity of the wave is 0.5 meters per second.