Question

A water wave is generated in a ripple tank by an oscillator that vibrates 50 times in 30 seconds. a given trough of the wave travels 50.0 cm in 15 seconds. what is the wavelength of the water wave? produce all your workings.

Answer 1

There are 50 vibrations in 30 seconds

So frequency is given by

$f = \frac{N}{T}$

$f = \frac{50}{30}$

Now we can also find the speed of wave

speed is defined as ratio of distance and time

$speed = \frac{distance}{time}$

$speed = \frac{0.50}{15}$

$v = 0.033 m/s$

now to find the wavelength we can use the relation between frequency, wavelength and speed

this relation is given as

$speed = frequency * wavelength$

$0.033 = \frac{5}{3}* \lambda$

$\lambda = 0.02 m = 2 cm$

so the wavelength is 2 cm