Consider the wave equation \(y = 5\text{mm} \sin [1\text{cm}^{-1}x - 60\text{s}^{-1}t]\). The wave number is?

Assessment: JAMB UTME - Physics - 2022 Subject: Physics

Question 1 Report

0.1 cm

^{- 1}

10cm

^{- 1}

1.0cm

^{- 1}

2cm

^{- 1}

Answer Details

The wave number is a measure of how many waves fit into a unit distance. In the given wave equation, the wave number is 1 cm^(-1). This can be seen from the argument of the sine function, which is 1 x - 60 t. The units of x and t are cm and s, respectively, so the units of the argument are cm^(-1) s^(-1). The wave number is therefore equal to the coefficient of x in the argument, which is 1 cm^(-1).

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Consider the wave equation \(y = 5\text{mm} \sin [1\text{cm}^{-1}x - 60\text{s}^{-1}t]\). The wave number is?

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