Ohio Assessment for Educators (OAE) Integrated Science (024) Practice Exam

When two crests have passed a stationary point, how many cycles have occurred?

1. 1

2. 2

3. 3

4. 4

The correct answer is: 2

When discussing waves, a cycle is defined as the completion of one full waveform, which includes one crest and one trough. In this scenario, if two crests have passed a stationary point, it indicates that two full waveforms have occurred at that location. Each wave typically consists of one crest and one trough, meaning that the passage of a crest signifies the beginning of a new cycle. Therefore, witnessing two crests passing would correspond to two completed cycles, as each cycle would include one crest and its corresponding trough. Thus, observing two crests means that the wave has completed two full oscillations, confirming that the number of cycles is indeed two.