To determine what happens to a sound wave when it travels from copper to lead, we need to compare the speeds of sound in these two materials.
From the table provided:
- The speed of sound in copper is [tex]\(5010 \, \text{m/s}\)[/tex].
- The speed of sound in lead is [tex]\(1960 \, \text{m/s}\)[/tex].
When a sound wave moves from one medium to another, its speed changes based on the properties of the two media. If the wave travels from a medium with a higher speed of sound to a medium with a lower speed of sound, it will slow down.
In this case:
- The speed of sound in copper ([tex]\(5010 \, \text{m/s}\)[/tex]) is greater than the speed of sound in lead ([tex]\(1960 \, \text{m/s}\)[/tex]).
Since the speed of sound in lead is less than that in copper, the sound wave will slow down as it moves from copper to lead.
Given the options:
A. The wave will get completely absorbed. (This is not a typical outcome solely based on speed changes.)
B. The wave will speed up. (This is incorrect as the speed of sound in lead is less than in copper.)
C. The wave will change in frequency. (The frequency of the wave primarily depends on the source, not the medium.)
D. The wave will slow down. (This is the correct answer based on the speed comparison.)
Therefore, the correct answer is:
D. The wave will slow down.
