Ontario Grade 9 Science Class 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The correct answer is that color is not a characteristic used to define a wave. When discussing waves, the primary characteristics typically considered are amplitude, wavelength, and frequency.

Amplitude refers to the maximum displacement of points on a wave from its rest position and is a measure of the wave’s energy. Wavelength is the distance between successive crests (or troughs) of a wave, indicating the physical length of one cycle of the wave. Frequency, on the other hand, is the number of complete cycles of the wave that pass a given point in a specific period, usually measured in hertz (Hz).

Color, while related to light waves, is not a fundamental characteristic that defines waves in general across all types—such as sound or water waves. Instead, color specifically pertains to the perception of different wavelengths of light within the visible spectrum. Therefore, while color can be a qualitative property associated with certain waves (like light), it is not a defining characteristic for all wave types.