Exam-style question
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In which scenario would you expect to see the effects of a transverse wave?.
- A.Sound waves traveling through air.
- B.Seismic waves traveling through the Earth.
- C.Light waves passing through a prism.
- D.Pressure waves in a fluid.
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- Light waves passing through a prism.
Explanation
Why this works
Transverse waves, such as light waves, exhibit particle motion that is perpendicular to the direction of wave travel, allowing them to be polarized and refracted, as seen when light passes through a prism. This contrasts with longitudinal waves, like sound, which travel through compressions and rarefactions in a medium.
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