Chapter 6: Problem 5

A long row of people are lined up behind one another at a service window. Joe E. Clumsy stumbles into the back of the person at the end and pushes hard enough to generate a wave in the people waiting. What type of wave is produced?

Short Answer

Expert verified

Answer: Longitudinal wave

Step by step solution

Understand the situation

In the given situation, a person stumbles and pushes the person at the end of a line. This push propagates through the line of people, causing them to move. We need to identify what type of wave this is.

Identify characteristics of mechanical and electromagnetic waves

There are two main categories of waves: mechanical and electromagnetic. Mechanical waves are the waves that propagate through a medium (like a string, air, water or people in this case) and require interaction between particles in the medium. Electromagnetic waves do not require a medium and can travel through a vacuum (e.g., light).

Determine the category of wave

In this case, since the wave is propagating through people (a medium), it is a mechanical wave.

Identify characteristics of transverse and longitudinal waves

Mechanical waves can be further divided into transverse and longitudinal waves. In a transverse wave, the particles of the medium move perpendicular to the direction of the wave's propagation (e.g., water waves). In a longitudinal wave, the particles of the medium move back and forth along the same direction as the wave's propagation (e.g., sound waves).

Determine the type of mechanical wave

In this situation, when Joe pushes the person at the end of the line, the subsequent people in line are pushed forward and then go back to their original positions as the disturbance propagates through the line. The movement of people is along the same direction as the wave's propagation. Therefore, this is a longitudinal wave. So, the type of wave produced when Joe E. Clumsy stumbles into the back of the person at the end of the line, causing a wave in the people waiting, is a longitudinal wave.

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A long row of people are lined up behind one another at a service window. Joe E. Clumsy stumbles into the back of the person at the end and pushes hard enough to generate a wave in the people waiting. What type of wave is produced?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Understand the situation

Identify characteristics of mechanical and electromagnetic waves

Determine the category of wave

Identify characteristics of transverse and longitudinal waves

Determine the type of mechanical wave

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