Practice question

**Mechanical waves** require medium and can be transverse or longitudinal. Sound in air is longitudinal since fluids support only compressional motion, while string waves are transverse. Progressive waves transfer energy without net mass transport, distinguishing from standing waves. A stone dropped into a pond creates ripples that oscillate perpendicular to the direction of propagation on the surface, forming transverse waves, specifically gravity waves for larger wavelengths. Using v = fλ and standing-wave condition fₙ = n v/(2L) or v/(4L) as applicable, calculation yields Transverse, illustrating frequency-length-speed interdependence and quantization by boundaries.