Sound waves consist of 20 compressions and 20 rarefactions in a 10m length. The wavelength of the waves is
- A25cm
- B50cm
- C75cm
- D100cm
Solution & Step-by-step Explanation
In a longitudinal sound wave, one complete wave cycle (one wavelength, λ) consists of one compression paired with one adjacent rarefaction.
Given:
The wave train contains 20 compressions and 20 rarefactions, which means there are exactly N=20 complete wave cycles.
The total span length (L) occupied by these waves is 10m.
The formula relating total length to wavelength is:
L=N⋅λ
10m=20⋅λ⟹λ=
20
10
=0.5m
Converting meters into centimeters:
λ=0.5×100cm=50cm
Given:
The wave train contains 20 compressions and 20 rarefactions, which means there are exactly N=20 complete wave cycles.
The total span length (L) occupied by these waves is 10m.
The formula relating total length to wavelength is:
L=N⋅λ
10m=20⋅λ⟹λ=
20
10
=0.5m
Converting meters into centimeters:
λ=0.5×100cm=50cm