In a transverse wave, an arrow pointing to the upside-down 'hill' refers to which feature?

In a transverse wave, an arrow pointing to the upside-down 'hill' refers to which feature?

• A. Crest
• B. Amplitude
• C. Trough
• D. Wavelength

Answer: (C)

In a transverse wave, the particles move up and down as the wave travels forward, creating alternating peaks and valleys. The highest point is a crest, the lowest point is a trough, and the amplitude is how far the medium moves from its rest position to either a crest or a trough. The wavelength is the distance between repeating points, like crest to crest. An arrow pointing to the upside-down hill marks the lowest point—the trough—because it represents the valley where the medium is displaced downward from equilibrium. So the feature indicated is the trough.

In a transverse wave, the particles move up and down as the wave travels forward, creating alternating peaks and valleys. The highest point is a crest, the lowest point is a trough, and the amplitude is how far the medium moves from its rest position to either a crest or a trough. The wavelength is the distance between repeating points, like crest to crest. An arrow pointing to the upside-down hill marks the lowest point—the trough—because it represents the valley where the medium is displaced downward from equilibrium. So the feature indicated is the trough.