Waves and Light

Multiple Choice

What type of reflection is exhibited as light waves from an overhead projector reflect off a white projection screen and are scattered throughout a room?

• diffuse

• specular

• incident

• periodic

Multiple Choice

Which statement is true of the index of refraction?

• All types of glass have the same index of refraction

• The index of refraction is the same for different wavelengths of light.

• The index of refraction is a dimensionless number greater than or equal to 1.0

• The index of refraction is a dimensionless number less than 1.0.

Multiple Choice

Total internal reflection can occur only when

• one of the two refractive media is air

• light is travelling from a more optically dense medium into a less optically dense medium

• a light of low intensity is used

• a light of high intensity is used

Multiple Choice

As straight water waves pass through an opening and spread out in circular wave fronts, the waves undergo

• reflection

• refraction

• dispersion

• diffraction

Multiple Choice

Which frequencies of sound from an audio speaker will best diffract around corners and fill a room?

• low

• medium to high

• high

• Either low or high

Multiple Choice

Select the one statement upon which both Newton and Huygens would agree

• Light from the Sun is a shower of very small particles.

• As light travels from air into glass, there is a change in the speed of light.

• Rays of light are affected by the forces of gravity.

• Various colours of light correspond to different wavelengths of light.

Multiple Choice

A group of students uses a double slit and a laser to produce bright fringes on a distant screen. To double the fringe spacing, the students should

• decrease the slit spacing by half

• decrease the laser wavelength by half

• decrease the distance to the screen by half

• increase the slit spacing

Multiple Choice

Are you Okay?

• Yes

• Yeah

• Yep

• I am

Multiple Choice

Water waves splash under a dock at regular intervals. The time that elapses between splashes is called the

• incidence

• frequency

• specular

• period

Multiple Choice

A water wave has a frequency of 0.20 Hz. How many wavelengths will have passed a fixed point after 1.5 min?

• 12

• 18

• 90

• 450

Multiple Choice

If a beam of light strikes a surface exactly perpendicular to the surface, then the angle of incidence is

• 0°

• 45°

• 60°

• 90°

Multiple Choice

In terms of light, which quantity remains constant regardless of the medium through which it travels?

• wavelength

• frequency

• amplitude

• speed

Multiple Choice

Visible light is one example of

• an electromagnetic wave

• a longitudinal wave

• an acoustic wave

• a compression wave

Multiple Choice

A ray of light refracts when travelling from medium 1 into medium 2. The angle of incidence is less than the angle of refraction. Select the true statement concerning this interaction

• Medium 1 must be a vacuum.

• The speed of the light ray increases as it enters medium 2

• The frequency of the light ray decreases as it enters medium 2.

• Medium 1 has a lower index of refraction.

Multiple Choice

Which interaction will exhibit the greatest amount of dispersion?

• white light entering water at a small angle of incidence

• white light entering water at a large angle of incidence

• white light entering a diamond at a small angle of incidence

• white light entering a diamond at a large angle of incidence

Multiple Choice

Predict what will happen as two water waves move toward each other.

• bounce off each other and return in the opposite direction.

• momentarily add together and then continue on in their original direction

• collide and cancel each other’s energy

• scatter off each other, moving perpendicular to their original direction.

Multiple Choice

At any point on one of the nodal lines in the two-point-source interference pattern, a wave crest is ____

• combining with a wave trough

• combining with a wave crest

• combining with a slightly smaller wave crest

• reflecting off a wave crest

Multiple Choice

A teacher uses audio speakers to create a two-point-source interference pattern in the classroom. The speakers are placed at S₁ and S₂. A student stands at point P on the n = 1 nodal line. In terms of the wavelength, l, what is the path length difference between PS₁ and PS₂?

• no path difference

• $$\frac{1}{2}\lambda$$

• $$\lambda$$

• $$\frac{3}{2}\lambda$$

Multiple Choice

Which action will decrease the angular separation of nodal lines in a two-point-source interference pattern?

• moving the point sources farther apart

• decreasing the frequency of the waves

• increasing the wavelength of the waves

• decreasing the screen distance

Multiple Choice

Newton’s particle theory of light is unable to account for which phenomenon?

• propagation

• reflection

• radiation pressure

• diffraction