Longitudinal Waves Gizmo - ExploreLearning

Questions & Answers  1. What is the best description of sound waves? A. A source vibrates up and down, causing air molecules to move up and down perpendicular to the direction the wave is transmitted. B. A source vibrates back and forth, causing air molecules to move back and forth in the same direction that the wave is transmitted. C. A source vibrates up and down and back and forth, causing air molecules to move in a circular motion as the wave is transmitted. D. A source ejects a ring of high-velocity air molecules that travel from the source to a listener. Correct Answer: B. A source vibrates back and forth, causing air molecules to move back and forth in the same direction that the wave is transmitted. Explanation: A sound wave is an example of a longitudinal wave, in which the particle movement is in the same direction as the wave. As a sound source vibrates forward, the molecules next to the source are pushed together, forming a compression. As the source vibrates back a region with fewer air molecules is created, called a rarefaction. As the compressions and rarefactions are transmitted through space, individual air molecules only move a short distance back and forth. 2. Which of the following displacement graphs matches the simulation snapshot shown below? A. Graph A B. Graph B C. Graph C D. Graph D Correct Answer: D. Graph D 3. Which of the following pressure graphs matches the simulation snapshot shown below? 4. Which acceleration graph corresponds to the pressure graph shown?