Question

multiple select question
select all that apply
select all the true statements below regarding spherical waves.
wave fronts are the same part of each wave in a spherical wave.
only the wave at the greatest distance from the source of a spherical wave is con-
sidered a wave front.
small sections of spherical waves can be considered linear waves at some dis-
tance from the source.
spherical waves travel as small, two - dimensional circles.

Explanation:

• Wave fronts in a spherical wave are surfaces where all points are in the same phase (same part of the wave), so the first statement is correct.
• Wave fronts are not just the wave at the greatest distance. Any surface of constant phase (e.g., all condensations in a sound - wave spherical representation) can be a wave front, so the second statement is incorrect.
• At a large distance from the source of a spherical wave, small sections of the spherical wave can be approximated as linear (plane) waves due to the large radius of curvature, so the third statement is correct.
• Spherical waves are three - dimensional (e.g., sound waves spreading out in all directions from a point source), not two - dimensional circles, so the fourth statement is incorrect.

Answer:

• Wave fronts are the same part of each wave in a spherical wave.
• Small sections of spherical waves can be considered linear waves at some distance from the source.