A longitudinal wave travels on a slinky or any long spring.The wave is represented by the equation x(x,t) = 2.1 cm cos(2000 rad/s t - 40 m^-1 x).What is the direction of the velocity of the wave? A) the - x direction B) the + x direction C) the - y direction D) the + y direction

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The direction of the velocity of a longitudinal wave is parallel to the direction of the wave propagation. In this case, the wave is traveling in the +x direction because the cosine term has a positive argument (-40 m^-1 x), meaning that as x increases, the displacement of the wave also increases in the +x direction. Therefore, the velocity of the wave is also in the +x direction.

A Longitudinal Wave Travels on a Slinky or Any Long