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Which statement is true about a mechanical wave traveling from a water vapor medium into an ice medium?

1) The wave will travel faster through the ice than it will through the water vapor.
2) The wave will travel faster through the water vapor than it will through the ice.
3) The wavelength of the wave will decrease when it enters the ice.
4) The amplitude of the wave will increase when it enters the ice.

User Aardrian
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

A mechanical wave traveling from water vapor to ice will travel faster through the ice, the wavelength will decrease, and the amplitude will generally stay the same.

Step-by-step explanation:

A mechanical wave traveling from a water vapor medium into an ice medium will travel faster through the ice than it will through the water vapor. The speed of a mechanical wave depends on the properties of the material through which it travels, and since ice is denser than water vapor, it allows the wave to propagate faster. Therefore, statement 1) The wave will travel faster through the ice than it will through the water vapor is true.

Regarding the wavelength and amplitude of the wave, when a wave enters a different medium, its wavelength may change, but not necessarily its amplitude. In this case, when the wave travels from water vapor to ice, the wavelength of the wave will decrease as it enters the denser medium. The amplitude, which represents the maximum displacement of the wave, will generally stay the same unless affected by other factors.

User Souser
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