Question

Particle acceleration in a travelling transverse wave is always is

• A. always parallel to particle velocity
• B. always anti-parallel to particle velocity
• C. can be parallel or anti-parallel to particle velocity
• D. None of these

Answer 1

The correct option is C can be parallel or anti-parallel to particle velocity

In any wave, the particles are in oscillatory motion. In any oscillation, when the body is coming from an extreme position and approaching the mean, the velocity and acceleration are parallel to each other. When the body has crossed the mean position and is approaching the other extreme, the velocity and acceleration are antiparallel.