PAP Unit 11: Wave Dynamics Test

According to Hooke's law, the force exerted by a spring on an object is proportional to

• the mass of the object

• the displacement of the object

• the length of the spring

• the volume of the object

The period of a pendulum may be decreased by

• shortening its length

• increasing the mass of the bob

• moving its equilibrium point

• decreasing the mass of the bob

the gravitational potential energy of teh bob of a swinging pendulum is at its maximum when the bob is at

• maxiumum displacement

• the equilibrium point

• the center of its swing

• minimum displacement

The material through which a mechanical wave travels is

• a medium

• empty space

• ether

• air

When a transverse wave passes through water, water molecules are displaced

• permanently in the direction of the wave motion

• permanently in a direction perpendicular to the wave

• temporarily in the direction of the wave motion

• temporarily in a direction perpendicular to the wave

A wave that is produced by a single motion that does not repeat is a ____________ wave.

• transverse

• continuous

• pulse

• compression

The distance between two troughs of a transverse wave is the wave's

• amplitude

• wavelength

• frequency

• rarefaction

A ______ wave travels through a medium as a series of compressions and rarefactions.

• sine

• longitudinal

• pulse

• transverse

When two transverse waves traveling through a medium meet and exactly coincide, the resulting displacement of the medium

• is the sum of the displacements of each wave

• is zero

• is always greater than the displacement of either wave alone

• is always destructive

When two waves having displacements in opposite directions meet, ________ occurs.

• complete cancellation

• no interference

• constructive interference

• destructive interference