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 motion of the particles is perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation. Lifting hands up and down (perpendicular motion) by students one - at - a - time mimics the particle motion in a transverse wave. Bumping shoulders (A) is more like a longitudinal - wave - like interaction (particle motion parallel to wave direction in a simplified sense). All students taking a step to the right (B) is not a wave - like motion. Skipping clockwise (C) is a circular motion and not characteristic of transverse - wave particle motion.

Answer:

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