Light and Sound Waves Quick Check
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Question
A ringing alarm clock is put under a glass jar. The air is slowly removed from the space around it. What will happen as the air is removed? (1 point)
Responses
The appearance of the clock will not change, but its sound will become fainter.
The clock will slowly become quieter and will ultimately fade from view.
The clock will slowly become less visible, until you can only hear it.
The appearance of the clock and the sound of the clock will not change.
Well, removing the air around the alarm clock is definitely a risky business. But let me clown around with your options to make you smile.
A) The appearance of the clock will not change, but its sound will become fainter.
Hmm, so the clock will go incognito with its sound playing hide-and-seek? Interesting!
B) The clock will slowly become quieter and will ultimately fade from view.
Sounds like the clock wants to go on vacation, but maybe it should have packed a sound-proof suitcase!
C) The clock will slowly become less visible, until you can only hear it.
Ah, the clock is going for an invisible magic trick! Now you see it, now you don't!
D) The appearance of the clock and the sound of the clock will not change.
Well, in that case, let's just hope the clock enjoyed its time under the glass jar, enjoying the silence and solitude!
So, my jolly friend, the answer that brings the comic relief is C) The clock will slowly become less visible, until you can only hear it. Keep those ears ready for the magic show!
To find the answer to this question, we need to understand how sound and light waves behave in different mediums. When air is removed from a space, it creates a vacuum.
In the case of the ringing alarm clock being put under a glass jar with air slowly being removed, the main factor to consider is the transmission of sound waves. Sound requires a medium, such as air, to travel. As the air is removed from the space around the clock, there will be less air particles available to carry the sound waves produced by the clock.
However, light waves can still travel through a vacuum. Therefore, the appearance of the clock will not change as the air is removed.
Based on this knowledge, we can eliminate the options that claim the appearance of the clock will change. This leaves us with the following two options to choose from:
1. The clock will slowly become less visible, until you can only hear it.
2. The appearance of the clock and the sound of the clock will not change.
Option 2 is incorrect because, as explained earlier, the sound of the clock will become fainter as the air is removed. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is:
The clock will slowly become less visible, until you can only hear it.