Final answer:
The correct answer is that an increase in amplitude of a compression wave results in higher energy but does not affect the wave's speed or frequency. Speed is a function of wavelength and frequency and is constant in a given medium, while frequency is the number of wave peaks per unit time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The more amplitude a compression wave (longitudinal wave) has, the higher its energy, which explains why speaking more loudly, which increases the wave's amplitude, results in a sound that carries more energy. However, this increase in amplitude does not affect the wave's speed or frequency, as these are determined by other factors. The frequency of a wave correlates with the number of peaks per unit time, not the amplitude; and speed is a product of wavelength and frequency, independent of amplitude. Therefore, the correct answer to the student's question is: The more amplitude, a compression wave is, the higher its energy. Speed remains constant, given a constant medium, and is not altered by changes in amplitude. To expand on the GRASP CHECK provided, when speaking more loudly (increasing amplitude) as opposed to softly, it is the amplitude of the wave that increases, not the frequency or speed of the wave.