Question

A _______ is a repeating disturbance or vibration that transfers or moves energy from place to place without transporting mass.

Answer 1

A wave, waves transport energy rather than matter from one area to another.
An example of this is conduction of thermal energy, for instance when you heat up a saucepan the metal areas of the pan not touching the heat source still heat up due to waves of thermal energy (conduction)

Answer 2

Answer: wave

Explanation:

These are the basic definitions and characteristic of the terms given, which show tha the only rigth answer is the second option: wave.

1) Force is an interaction. There are four natural forces: electrostatic, gravity, strong nuclear force and weak nuclear force.

2) Wave: is a sequence of pulses or vibrations that cause the continuous transportation of energy (propagation). There is not transport of mass, only energy.

Some examples of waves are sound waves, electromagnetic waves (light, radio waves, micro waves, infrarred waves, ultraviolet waves).

3) Vacuum: is the absence of matter; empty space. Only electromagnetic waves can travel through vacuum; other waves need a medium to travel.

4) Medium: any matter is a medium: a solid, the air, a liquid, all of them are media through which waves can transport its energy, depending of the wavelength.