Mission SM1 The Nature of a Sound Wave
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The tines of a vibrating tuning fork create a sound that travels through a long tube. The diagram below portrays the presence of position of air molecules within the tube at an instant in time. Which of the labeled regions are compressions? List all that apply ... .
A compression is a region within a medium in which particles of that medium are smooshed together or pressed together. A rarefaction is a region within a medium in which particles of that medium are pulled apart or spread out.
The diagram shows a snapshot at one instant in time of the particles of air within the tube. The expected pattern of alternating compressions and rarefactions is observed within the tube. There are locations in which particles are smooshed or pressed together and locations in which particles are pulled apart or spread out.
