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3mo ago

The wavelength of a mechanical wave in a medium is affected by the speed of the wave in that medium and its frequency. As the speed increases, the wavelength decreases, and vice versa. Higher frequencies also result in shorter wavelengths.

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12y ago

In a nutshell, light travels travels more slowly in more optically dense mediums. As a result, its wavelength decreases (but it's frequency always stays the same).

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Q: What affects the wavelength of a mechanical wave moving trough a medium?
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How can the speed of a mechanical wave be calculated?

The speed of a mechanical wave can be calculated by multiplying the wavelength of the wave by its frequency. The formula is speed = wavelength x frequency. This relationship arises from the fact that speed is the rate at which the wave is moving through a medium, determined by the distance the wave travels in a given time period.


What can you tell about the speed of two waves that have the same wavelength and frequency?

If two waves have the same wavelength and frequency, it means they are traveling at the same speed. The speed of a wave is determined by the medium it is traveling through and is independent of its wavelength or frequency.


The velocity of a wave depends on what?

The velocity of a wave depends on the medium through which it is traveling. It also depends on the temperature, pressure, and density of the medium. Additionally, the frequency and wavelength of the wave can also affect its velocity.


Why mechanical wave require a medium to transfer energy?

Mechanical waves rely on the physical vibration of particles in a medium to transfer energy. Without a medium, such as air or water, there are no particles to transmit the energy through vibrations, so the wave cannot propagate. This is why mechanical waves cannot travel through a vacuum.


In the Doppler effect for sound if the source and receiver are at rest but the air is moving will there be any change in frequency or wavelength?

No, if the source and receiver are stationary and only the air is moving, there will be no change in the frequency or wavelength of the sound. The Doppler effect occurs when either the source or the receiver (or both) is in motion relative to the medium through which the sound is traveling.

Related questions

How can the speed of a mechanical wave be calculated?

The speed of a mechanical wave can be calculated by multiplying the wavelength of the wave by its frequency. The formula is speed = wavelength x frequency. This relationship arises from the fact that speed is the rate at which the wave is moving through a medium, determined by the distance the wave travels in a given time period.


What can you tell about the speed of two waves that have the same wavelength and frequency?

If two waves have the same wavelength and frequency, it means they are traveling at the same speed. The speed of a wave is determined by the medium it is traveling through and is independent of its wavelength or frequency.


The velocity of a wave depends on what?

The velocity of a wave depends on the medium through which it is traveling. It also depends on the temperature, pressure, and density of the medium. Additionally, the frequency and wavelength of the wave can also affect its velocity.


Why mechanical wave require a medium to transfer energy?

Mechanical waves rely on the physical vibration of particles in a medium to transfer energy. Without a medium, such as air or water, there are no particles to transmit the energy through vibrations, so the wave cannot propagate. This is why mechanical waves cannot travel through a vacuum.


In the Doppler effect for sound if the source and receiver are at rest but the air is moving will there be any change in frequency or wavelength?

No, if the source and receiver are stationary and only the air is moving, there will be no change in the frequency or wavelength of the sound. The Doppler effect occurs when either the source or the receiver (or both) is in motion relative to the medium through which the sound is traveling.


Would a slow moving proton or a fast moving golf ball have a larger wavelength?

fast moving Golf ball.


Which has a larger wavelength a slow moving photon or a fast moving golf ball?

A slow moving photon has a longer wavelength compared to a fast moving golf ball. Wavelength is inversely proportional to speed, so the slower the object, the longer the wavelength.


What are waves that need a media?

Mechanical waves, such as sound waves and seismic waves, require a medium (solid, liquid, or gas) to propagate. These waves travel by causing the particles in the medium to vibrate back and forth in the direction of the wave. Without a medium, these waves cannot travel.


What is a series of compressions and rarefactions moving through a medium called?

A series of compressions and rarefactions moving through a medium is called a sound wave. Sound waves travel through different mediums, such as air, water, or solids, by transferring energy in the form of mechanical vibrations.


What type of a mechanical wave needs energy to produce it?

Transverse and longitudinal waves are examples of mechanical waves that require energy to be produced, as they propagate through a medium by causing particles in the medium to vibrate or oscillate. This transfer of energy results in the wave moving through the medium.


Is a sound wave mechanical or electromagnetic?

Seismic waves are mechanical waves.


A wave that travels through a medium?

We know that a mechanical wave requires a medium through which to travel. The source puts the energy into the medium, and it propagates. A sound wave is a good example of this, and we can contrast it with an electromagnetic wave (like light). Light can travel through a vacuum; it doesn't require a medium for its propagation.