Question:

Among the following statements, the correct statement for a wave is:

Updated On: Apr 11, 2025
  • Transverse waves cannot propagate through all media

  • Longitudinal waves can propagate through solids only

  • Transverse waves can propagate through solids

  • Longitudinal waves can propagate through vacuum

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The Correct Option is C

Approach Solution - 1

To solve the problem, we need to identify the correct statement about the propagation of waves.

1. Understanding Wave Types:
There are two main types of mechanical waves:
- Transverse Waves: In these waves, particle displacement is perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation. These waves require a medium with rigidity to propagate and generally do not travel through gases or liquids. They can propagate through solids.
- Longitudinal Waves: In these waves, particle displacement is parallel to the wave direction. These waves can propagate through solids, liquids, and gases.

2. Evaluate Each Option:
- Option (1): "Transverse waves cannot propagate through all media" – This is true, but not the best or most complete statement.
- Option (2): "Longitudinal waves can propagate through solids only" – This is incorrect, they can propagate through all states of matter.
- Option (3): "Transverse waves can propagate through solids" – This is correct and accurate.
- Option (4): "Longitudinal waves can propagate through vacuum" – This is false; mechanical waves (including longitudinal) cannot travel through a vacuum.

Final Answer:
Transverse waves can propagate through solids is the correct statement.

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Approach Solution -2

The correct option is: (C): Transverse waves can propagate through solids.

Waves encompass disturbances capable of propagating through a medium, transferring energy without involving the movement of physical matter. Waves can be categorized based on the nature of their oscillation:

Longitudinal waves - These arise when particles oscillate in alignment with the direction of wave propagation.

Transverse waves - These emerge when particles oscillate at right angles to the direction of wave propagation.

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Concepts Used:

Wave Optics

  • Wave optics are also known as Physical optics which deal with the study of various phenomena such as polarization, interference, diffraction, and other occurrences where ray approximation of geometric optics cannot be done. Thus, the section of optics that deals with the behavior of light and its wave characteristics is known to be wave optics.
  • In wave optics, the approximation is carried out by utilizing ray optics for the estimation of the field on a surface. Further, it includes integrating a ray-estimated field over a mirror, lens, or aperture for the calculation of the transmitted or scattered field.
  • Wave optics stands as a witness to a famous standoff between two great scientific communities who devoted their lives to understanding the nature of light. Overall, one supports the particle nature of light; the other supports the wave nature.
  • Sir Isaac Newton stood as a pre-eminent figure that supported the voice of particle nature of light, he proposed a corpuscular theory which states that “light consists of extremely light and tiny particles, called corpuscles which travel with very high speeds from the source of light to create a sensation of vision by reflecting on the retina of the eye”.