Question

A mechanical wave needs what all to propagate?

• A. Any Medium
• B. Elastic Medium
• C. No medium
• D. Depends whether its transverse or Longitudinal wave

Answer 1

The correct option is B

Elastic Medium

Mechanical waves are waves that require material medium to propagateeg:sound. They cannot propagate in space .

Also the medium needs to be elastic for the particles to oscillate about their mean position.

Here if the medium was not elastic then nothing would pull the particle after being displaced from mean position back to mean position. Examples of mechanical waves are

Sound - (Longitudinal), wave on a string (Transverse)

So mechanical can be both longitudinal and transverse.