alleryStart learning →In physics, what is a wave?
AA steady flow of matter from one place to another
BA disturbance that propagates and carries energy
CA material that vibrates without ever moving
DA force that acts at a distance through space
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. A disturbance that propagates and carries energy
1. A wave is a disturbance that propagates, moving away from the place where it was created.
2. What travels is the disturbance and the energy it carries, not the material itself.
3. Water waves, sound waves, earthquake waves and light all fit that description.
4. A steady flow of matter is a current rather than a wave, since the material itself is carried along.
_Source: OpenStax College Physics (CC BY 4.0), Ch 16 "Oscillatory Motion and Waves", section 16.9 Waves_
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