Isaac and Joe worked together to draw a model of a transverse wave. Issac used the model to measure the distance between two crests. Joe said, "Good job measuring the wave's amplitude!"
Why might Isaac have been confused by Joe's statement?
A.
Isaac measured the wavelength of the wave instead of the amplitude.
B.
Isaac measured the frequency of the wave instead of the amplitude.
C.
A transverse wave does not have an amplitude.
D.**
A transverse wave has an amplitude, but it is measured by finding the distance between two troughs rather than two crests.
The correct answer is D. In a transverse wave, the amplitude is measured by finding the distance between two troughs rather than two crests. Isaac might have been confused by Joe's statement because he used the incorrect points to measure the wave's amplitude. An amplitude is the maximum displacement of a wave from its equilibrium position, and in a transverse wave, it is typically measured by finding the distance between a crest (the highest point) and the equilibrium position. However, Isaac used two crests instead of two troughs to measure the distance, which led to the confusion.
