Suppose you watch a leaf bobbing up and down as ripples pass it by in a pond. You notice that it does two full up and down bobs each second. Which statement is true of the ripples on the pond?
A) They have a frequency of 2 hertz.
B) They have a frequency of 4 hertz.
C) We can calculate the wavelength of the ripples from their frequency.
D) They have a wavelength of two cycles per second.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The frequency of the leaf's motion (two full up and down bobs per second) is equal to the frequency of the ripples passing by, which is 2 hertz. This means the ripples are oscillating (or completing a full cycle) twice per second. The wavelength cannot be calculated from the frequency alone. The statement about the wavelength having "two cycles per second" is unclear and not accurate.

Suppose You Watch a Leaf Bobbing Up and Down as Ripples