Standing waves on a string: A wave pulse traveling to the right along a thin cord reaches a discontinuity where the rope becomes thinner and lighter. What is the orientation of the reflected and transmitted pulses?
A) Both pulses are right side up.
B) The reflected pulse returns right side up while the transmitted pulse is inverted.
C) The reflected pulse returns inverted while the transmitted pulse is right side up.
D) Both pulses are inverted.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When a wave pulse travels from a denser medium to a less dense medium, the reflected pulse remains right side up, and the transmitted pulse also remains right side up.

Standing Waves on a String: a Wave Pulse Traveling to the Right