Waves Vocabulary

The diagram above shows a sound wave being produced by a speaker and the density of air molecules as the sound wave travels to a listener’s ear. Each section labeled with an X shows an interval between dense regions of the air molecules.

What wave property does X represent?

• amplitude

• frequency

• velocity

• wavelength

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NGSS.HS-PS4-1

When astronauts speak to each other

in space while outside their spaceship, they use radio headsets that rely on electromagnetic waves. Which of the following best explains why radio headsets are used by astronauts to speak with each other in space?

• Electromagnetic waves can travel in

  a vacuum.

  
  

• Electromagnetic waves are difficult

  to distort.

  
  

• Electromagnetic waves travel quickly

  through air.

  
  

• Electromagnetic waves require little

  energy to generate.

  
  

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NGSS.HS-PS4-5

Which graph shows a wave with a frequency of 50 Hz and an amplitude of 4 cm?

• 
• 
• 
• 

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NGSS.HS-PS4-1

Which of the following is an example of

a longitudinal wave?

• an infrared wave

  
  

• a light wave

  
  

• a microwave

  
  

• a sound wave

  
  

A race begins with two signals: a loud beep and a bright light. Even though the signals are sent at the same time, the people watching the race see the light before they hear the beep. Which of the following best explains the delay between seeing the light and hearing the beep?

• Mechanical waves travel at a slower speed than electromagnetic waves.

  
  

• Mechanical waves have a shorter frequency than electromagnetic waves.

  
  

• Mechanical waves are greater in reflective strength than

  electromagnetic waves.

  
  

• Mechanical waves are susceptible to more interference than

  electromagnetic waves.

  
  

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-1

The diagram shows a wave moving along a coiled spring.

What type of wave is shown in the diagram?

• electromagnetic

• longitudinal

• refracted

• transverse

Which of the following describes a similarity between infrared radiation and radio waves?

• They are both transverse waves.

  
  

• They are both longitudinal waves.

  
  

• They both require a vacuum to

  travel.

  
  

• They both require a medium to

  travel.

  
  

The table shows characteristics of four sound waves. Based on the information in the table, which wave has the longest period?

• wave W

• wave X

• wave Y

• wave Z

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-1

Which of the following best describes the kinds of waves that can be observed on Earth when a star explodes?

• Light waves can be observed, but

  sound waves cannot be observed

  because sound waves are absorbed

  by Earth’s atmosphere.

• Light waves can be observed, but

  sound waves cannot be observed on

  Earth because sound waves cannot

  travel through space.

• Neither light waves nor sound waves

  can be observed, because both types

  of waves are absorbed by matter

  before reaching Earth.

• Both light waves and sound waves

  can be observed, but the sound

  waves take longer to reach Earth

  because light travels faster than

  sound.

  
  

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NGSS.HS-PS4-3

Students are studying how sound travels in different media. The graph below shows the distance that sound travels over a period of time in four different media, W, X, Y, and Z. The media include all three states of matter. Based on the data in the graph, the students calculated the velocities of the sound in the four media.

Which of the following conclusions can the students make based on their calculations?

• Medium Z is most likely a gas.

  
  

• Medium Y is most likely a solid.

  
  

• Medium W and medium X are most

  likely liquids.

  
  

• Medium W is most likely a gas and

  medium X is most likely a liquid.

  
  

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-1