Mechanical Waves are waves which propagate through a material medium (solid, liquid, or gas) at a wave speed which depends on the elastic and inertial properties of that medium. There are two basic types of wave motion for mechanical waves: longitudinal waves and transverse waves. The animations below demonstrate both types of wave and illustrate the difference between the motion of the wave and the motion of the particles in the medium through which the wave is travelling.
If the temperature of the air is said to be at absolute zero, one might conclude that a. the molecules contain a minimum amount of energy. b. the motion of the molecules is at a maximum. c. the molecules are occupying a large volume. the molecules contain a minimum amount of energy.
To determine the stability of an air parcel, one compares its temperature to the temperature of the surrounding air mass. If the air parcel's temperature is less than the temperature of the surrounding air mass, it is denser than the surrounding air and therefore has a tendency to sink.n this situation, an air parcel will be warmer and less dense than the surrounding air and will rise due to buoyant forces. Clouds with extensive vertical development are indicative of absolute instability. Conditional instability is a state of instability that depends upon whether or not the rising air is saturated.