Question

this illustration shows three different waves traveling through the same medium. the waves carry different amounts of energy. the waves have different wavelengths. the waves travel at different speeds. the waves are a different distance from the source.

Explanation:

1. Recall the properties of waves in the same medium: The speed of a wave in a medium depends on the medium's properties (like elasticity, density). For waves in the same medium, their speed is the same. So the option "The waves travel at different speeds" is incorrect.
2. Analyze wavelength: Wavelength is the distance between two consecutive crests (or troughs). Looking at the illustration, the three waves have different distances between their crests (the top - most points of the waves). So they have different wavelengths.
3. Analyze energy: The energy of a wave is related to its amplitude (and frequency). While amplitude affects energy, the question's illustration and the options - the key visual difference here is wavelength. Also, the "distance from the source" doesn't relate to the wave's intrinsic properties shown in the illustration (the waves are drawn as traveling, not their position relative to the source being different in a way that's depicted here). The "different amounts of energy" is related to amplitude, but the visual difference in the waves (the shape of the waves) shows different wavelengths (the spacing between cycles) more clearly.
4. Analyze "distance from the source": The illustration shows waves traveling, not their distance from the source. There's no indication in the diagram about their distance from a source, so that option is incorrect.

Answer:

The waves have different wavelengths.