Physics
Physics
Problem
Water waves in a pond have wavelength . While a particular crest travels parallel to the surface, how many complete crests pass a fixed stick standing in the water? a) b) c) d)Intuitive explanation
The key is to distinguish between how far a single crest travels (which tells you the wave's speed) and how many new crests arrive at a fixed point in that same time. As one crest moves 18 m, the wavelength tells you how much "new wave" enters the stick's location—think of it like a conveyor belt where each segment is 0.40 m long. Divide the distance traveled by the wavelength to count how many complete wave segments pass by.
Intuitive explanation
The key is to distinguish between how far a single crest travels (which tells you the wave's speed) and how many new crests arrive at a fixed point in that same time. As one crest moves 18 m, the wavelength tells you how much "new wave" enters the stick's location—think of it like a conveyor belt where each segment is 0.40 m long. Divide the distance traveled by the wavelength to count how many complete wave segments pass by.