Wave & Particle Models of Light Quiz

Which statement best describes the modern understanding of light?

• Light behaves exclusively as a wave

• Light behaves exclusively as particles

• Light exhibits properties of both waves and particles, depending on the situation

• Light's behavior cannot be predicted or modeled

Why can't the wave model alone fully explain light's behavior?

• Because light can travel through a vacuum

• Because light exhibits particle-like behaviors in certain scenarios, like the photoelectric effect

• Because light always travels in straight lines

• Because light reflects off surfaces

In the particle model, what happens to a photon's energy after reflection?

• The energy increases

• The energy remains the same

• The energy decreases by half

• The energy converts to heat

How does the wave model explain the formation of rainbows?

• Different wavelengths reflect at different angles

• Different wavelengths bend (refract) by different amounts

• Water droplets absorb certain wavelengths

• Light waves combine to create new colors

What key evidence supports the particle nature of light in modern applications?

• Light's ability to travel through space

• Light's reflection patterns

• The photoelectric effect in solar panels

• Light's diffraction patterns

According to the wave model, what determines the color of light?

• The amplitude of the wave

• The speed of the wave

• The wavelength of the wave

• The medium it travels through

Which phenomenon is better explained by the wave model than the particle model?

• The photoelectric effect

• Interference patterns

• Energy transfer

• Straight-line propagation

In fiber optic communications, which property of light is primarily utilized?

• Its particle nature only

• Its wave nature only

• Both its wave and particle nature equally

• Neither wave nor particle properties

What fundamental difference exists between light waves and sound waves?

• Only light waves can be reflected

• Only light waves can be refracted

• Light waves can travel through a vacuum

• Light waves travel more slowly

When light enters a denser medium, what happens to its speed?

• Increases

• Decreases

• Remains constant

• Becomes variable