Wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Waves & Sound

Total questions: 62

Worksheet time: 2hrs 50mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Sound waves travel fastest through

a)

air

b)

water

c)

steel

d)

a vacuum

2.

Which of these waves CANNOT travel through the vacuum of space?

a)

microwaves

b)

radio waves

c)

light waves

d)

sound waves

3.

Sound waves are transferred by the compression of particles. The closer the particles are to one another, the faster the energy is transferred. Therefore, sound energy directly depends upon the _________ of the medium.

a)

density

b)

mass

c)

pressure

d)

volume

4.

While watching a recent science fiction movie, one Klingon spaceship blows up a Droid spaceship with a laser gun. The Klingon crew watches out the port window and covers their ears to muffle the noise from the explosion. Scientifically, this scene is inaccurate because

a)

light can not reflect off objects in the vacuum of space.

b)

they would not be able to see anything outside the window.

c)

the sound of the explosion would not be transmitted back to their ship.

d)

lasers can not be transmitted through the vacuum of space.

5.

An echo is an example of sound wave

a)

diffraction

b)

refraction

c)

reflection

d)

interference

6.

Houses with carpet are much quieter than houses with tile or hardwood floors because of sound wave

a)

diffraction

b)

refraction

c)

reflection

d)

absorption

7.

In which medium would sound travel the fastest?

a)

across a room

b)

through a railroad track

c)

through outer space

d)

in a swimming pool

8.

Sound waves

a)

are particle waves.

b)

travel through a medium.

c)

are electromagnetic radiation.

d)

can travel through outer space.

9.

In old western movies, cowboys often would put their ear to a train track to listen for an oncoming train. What benefit would this method provide over listening for a train by listening for sound through the air?

a)

The sound would be louder.

b)

The sound would be undistorted.

c)

The sound would reach him sooner.

d)

The sound would higher in frequency.

10.

Refraction or the bending of waves takes place when a light wave changes

a)

color

b)

frequency

c)

intensity

d)

speed

11.

Identify the characteristic of a transverse wave that doubled from wave A to wave B.

a)

amplitude

b)

crest

c)

trough

d)

wavelength

12.

Sound waves travel fastest through a

a)

gas

b)

liquid

c)

solid

d)

vacuum

13.

The speed of sound is greater through a solid than through a gas because the molecules in a solid are

a)

still

b)

vibrating

c)

farther apart

d)

closer together

14.

Sound waves require a medium to travel through, such as a solid, liquid or gas because

a)

waves cannot move through a vacuum.

b)

sound only works within certain pressures.

c)

waves only work within certain temperatures.

d)

sound is molecules vibrating and bumping into one another.

15.

Refraction occurs when a wave changes its

a)

color

b)

frequency

c)

intensity

d)

speed

16.

The hammering on a train track is often heard twice by workers farther down the track; first as the sound travels through the steel and second as the sound travels through the air. This suggests which graph is true?

a)
b)
c)
d)
17.

Letter D represents the __________ of the wave.

a)

crest

b)

amplitude

c)

wavelength

d)

trough

18.

Comparing Wave A (black) to Wave B (green), Wave A has a

a)

higher crest.

b)

higher frequency

c)

longer wavelength

d)

greater amplitude.

19.

Which waves can travel through a vacuum?

a)

light waves

b)

ocean waves

c)

sound waves

d)

mechanical waves

20.

All waves transmit energy. Only one type of wave does not require a medium to transmit energy. That is a(n) _________ wave.

a)

compression

b)

electromagnetic

c)

mechanical

d)

sound

21.

The speed of sound waves through two different media, steel and air, was recorded. According to the graph, sound waves travel

a)

through steel, but not through air.

b)

faster through air than through steel.

c)

faster through steel than through air.

d)

through steel and air at similar speeds.

22.

Using an oscilloscope, it can be observed that the pitch of a sound is directly related to a sound wave’s frequency while the volume is directly related to a sound wave’s amplitude. The change shown in the illustration suggests that the

a)

pitch is increasing.

b)

pitch is decreasing.

c)

volume is increasing.

d)

volume is decreasing.

23.

Volume or intensity of a sound wave is measured by the size of the _________ and reported in decibels.

a)

amplitude

b)

frequency

c)

wavelength

d)

trough

24.

In this wave, there is a vertical line which represents what part of the wave?

a)

wavelength

b)

crest

c)

trough

d)

amplitude

25.

Based on the data, which statement BEST describes sound?

a)

There is no relationship between loudness and intensity.

b)

The greater the intensity, the louder the sound.

c)

The higher the decibel rating, the less intense the sound.

d)

There is an inverse relationship between loudness and intensity.

26.

According to the data, which sound is MOST intense?

a)

whisper

b)

jet taking off

c)

rock concert

d)

vacuum cleaner

27.

Maria and Sarah made a set of paper cup telephones. First the girls punched a hole in the bottom of each cup. Then they connected the cups with a very long piece of string, knotted in the bottom of each cup. Maria went down the hall to her bedroom while Sarah stayed in the kitchen. When Maria put the cup to her ear she could hear Sarah talking to her because.

a)

they were not that far from each other.

b)

sound waves traveled through the string to Maria’s cup.

c)

sound waves traveled through the air from room to room.

d)

sound waves bounced off of the walls to reach Maria in the bedroom.

28.

Sound energy and loudness are functions of wave _______________. Amplifiers increase sound energy and decibel level or loudness so sounds can be heard at greater distances.

a)

rarefaction

b)

wavelength

c)

frequency

d)

amplitude

29.

To allow a speaker's voice to be heard in an auditorium, an amplifier was used to increase the sound energy (loudness) of the wave seen in the image above the answer choices. Which wave is the result of amplification and produces a louder sound?

a)
b)
c)
d)
30.

How do sound waves move in air?

a)

The wave particles diffract around a barrier.

b)

he wave particles move in a curvilinear motion.

c)

The wave particles move via acceleration; that is, they increase speed.

d)

The wave particles displace one another, with particles replacing each other.

31.

By now, you know that sound is produced by vibrations. These vibrations can travel through solids, liquids, and gases, but not through ______________.

a)

granite rock

b)

empty space

c)

living objects

d)

the center of earth

32.

_________ is the slight bending of light as it passes around the edge of an object.

a)

Reflection

b)

Refraction

c)

Diffraction

d)

Transmission

33.

Compression or sound waves behave a lot like transverse or electromagnetic waves. Compression waves exhibit ALL BUT one of the following behaviors. That is

a)

transfer energy.

b)

reflection.

c)

refraction.

d)

travel through a vacuum.

34.

What statement explains the changes from wave A to wave B?

a)

The energy and amplitude increase.

b)

The energy and amplitude decrease.

c)

The energy decreases as the amplitude increases.

d)

The energy increases as the amplitude decreases.

35.

Sound travels in waves. Sound waves cannot travel through

a)

air

b)

solids

c)

space

d)

water

36.

The crowd in a stadium creates a wave traveling across the stands by having people stand up and then sit down one after another. The people move up and down creating the appearance of a wave moving across the stadium. This type of wave is best described as

a)

longitudinal wave

b)

transverse wave

c)

electromagnetic wave

d)

elliptical wave

37.

Sound waves that start in air can move into water. This is because it is __________ that is transferred and not_____________ .

a)

waves, matter

b)

energy, waves

c)

energy, particles

d)

particles, energy

38.

Based on the images seen here, identify which phase of matter would transmit sound waves the fastest, and why?

a)

The gas would transmit the fastest because the particles move the fastest.

b)

The solid would transmit the fastest because the particles are closest together.

c)

The liquid would transmit the fastest because the particles are the most freely moving.

d)

The gas would transmit the fastest because there are the fewest particles to interfere with the waves.

39.

In the old west, a cowboy would put their ear on the railroad track to determine if a train was coming. Using this method, they could tell if the train was coming sooner than just listening for the train. A good explanation for this would be that

a)

sound and vibrations travel faster through gases than solids.

b)

sound and vibrations travel faster through solids than gases.

c)

sound and vibrations dissipate faster in solids than in liquids or gases.

d)

sound and vibrations are more concentrated in solids than in liquids or gases.

40.

A student observes that it is hard to hear music underwater in a pool. They state that the sound is always muffled. They conclude that the speed of sound in water must be slower than in air. What would you say about the validity of this conclusion?

a)

The conclusion follows from the observation.

b)

The conclusion might be valid. But the information is not absolute proof.

c)

The conclusion is not valid. All sound waves travel at the same speed, not altitude.

d)

The conclusion is not valid. The speed of sound should be greater in liquids. Muffling is not about the speed of the wave.

41.

Based on the data in the table, what can we reasonably conclude about the speed of sound through various materials?

a)

The speed of sound is faster in lighter materials.

b)

The speed of sound is higher in liquids than in solids.

c)

The speed of sound is higher in solids than in liquids.

d)

The speed of sound moves slower when atoms are closely packed.

42.

Based on the table, what might be a reasonable conclusion?

a)

Sound travels faster through more dense materials.

b)

The speed of sound depends only on the state of matter.

c)

Sound travels slower through metals than any other materials.

d)

Sound travels faster through aluminum than any other material that exists.

43.

Based on the table, what would you predict the speed of sound through ice would most likely be?

a)

300 m/s

b)

1000 m/s

c)

1600 m/s

d)

4000 m/s

44.

Using the data, assess what would happen to the speed of sound travelling through water as it freezes and becomes solid.

a)

The speed of sound should increase as it solidifies.

b)

The speed of sound should decrease as it solidifies.

c)

The speed of sound does not change because the chemical is still H2O.

d)

The speed of sound only changes with temperature. Ice freezes at a constant temperature.

45.

A student looks at ocean waves coming into the beach. An ocean wave with more energy will

a)

travel toward the beach faster.

b)

have a greater height.

c)

have a greater period.

d)

strike the beach with greater frequency.

46.

Looking at waves A and B. Which description correctly describes the waves?

a)

Wave A has twice the energy because it has a frequency twice as large.

b)

Wave A has twice the energy because it has an amplitude twice as large.

c)

Wave B has twice the energy because it has an amplitude twice as large.

d)

Waves A and B gave the same energy because they have the same amplitude.

47.

The diagram shows a wave. The quantity shown is the amplitude. This quantity is directly proportional to which of these other quantities?

a)

Energy

b)

Frequency

c)

Period

d)

Wavelength

48.

This is a model of a sound wave. It shows us waves for four different sounds. Which part of the wave shows the sound that is the LOUDEST?

a)

part A

b)

part B

c)

part C

d)

part D

49.

Mary's class is studying sound waves. Mary played two sounds on her flute. For the first sound, Mary blew gently. For the second sound, Mary blew into the flute with a lot of force. Based on the evidence provided, explain what you hear.

a)

The two flute sounds are the same because they are the same note.

b)

The first flute sound has a higher pitch than the second.

c)

The second flute sound is louder than the first.

d)

The second flute sound has a lower pitch and is louder than the first sound.

50.

Compare the patterns of the two waves shown in the image. Which statement is true about these waves?

a)

Wave A has a shorter wavelength than Wave B.

b)

Wave B has a shorter wavelength than Wave A.

c)

They have different amplitudes but the same wavelengths.

d)

They have different wavelengths but the same amplitudes.

51.

Which of these waves would have the greatest amount of energy?

a)

Wave A

b)

Wave B

c)

Their energy is equal

d)

There is not enough information

52.

The harder you strike a drum, the greater the sound’s

a)

medium

b)

frequency

c)

pitch

d)

volume

53.

What would change in the sound wave if you adjusted the volume of your voice?

a)

frequency

b)

amplitude

c)

pitch

d)

wavelength

54.

Which statement is true regarding the waves shown?

a)

Doubling the frequency of the bottom waves by will cause it to match the top waves.

b)

Cutting the frequency of the bottom waves in half will cause it to match the top waves.

c)

There is no way to match the bottom and top waves to the same frequency.

d)

Decreasing the frequency of the top waves by half will cause it to match the bottom waves.

55.

Any wave of any kind will change direction when it encounters an obstacle. This bending is called

a)

resonance.

b)

interference.

c)

diffraction.

d)

the photoelectric effect.

56.

Which wave carries the most energy?

a)
b)
c)
d)
57.

Which wave has the highest amplitude?

a)
b)
c)
d)
58.

Which letter BEST shows how to measure amplitude?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

59.

hich letter BEST shows how to measure wavelength?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

60.

Evaluate these two sound waves and determine what property they have in common.

a)

They have the same amplitudes.

b)

They have the same wavelengths.

c)

They make the same exact sound.

d)

They have crests in the same position.

61.

What part of this transverse wave is the green arrow identifying?

a)

amplitude

b)

trough

c)

wavelength

d)

crest

62.

Which diagram correctly identifies the compressions in a longitudinal sound wave?

a)
b)
c)
d)