Question

ten students stand in a circle and are told to make a transverse wave. what best describes the motion of the students?
each student bumps the shoulder of his or her neighbor.
at the exact time, all students take a step to the right.
the students skip clockwise, going in a circular motion.
one at a time, each student lifts his or her hands up and then down.

Explanation:

In a transverse wave, the particles of the medium (in this case, the students) move perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation. When students lift their hands up and then down one at a time, it mimics the motion of particles in a transverse wave. Bumping shoulders (A) is more like a longitudinal wave (particle - to - particle interaction in the direction of wave propagation). All students taking a step to the right (B) is not a wave - like motion. Skipping clockwise (C) is a circular motion, not the characteristic motion of a transverse wave.

Answer:

D. One at a time, each student lifts his or her hands up and then down