Based on the graph and what you know about waves, what can be concluded about the energy of these two waves?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking for an analysis of two waves in terms of their energy based on a graph. The student needs to conclude whether one wave has more energy than the other, or if they have equal energy, or if such a relationship cannot be determined.
Answer
Higher amplitude waves transfer more energy.
Higher amplitude waves transfer more energy than lower amplitude waves.
Answer for screen readers
Higher amplitude waves transfer more energy than lower amplitude waves.
More Information
The energy of a wave is proportional to the square of its amplitude. This means that a wave with a larger amplitude carries more energy than one with a smaller amplitude, assuming other factors like speed and frequency remain constant.
Tips
A common mistake is to assume that frequency alone dictates a wave's energy, while amplitude has a more direct impact.
