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WorksheetsP.3.3.1 Progressive and stationary waves
Total questions: 50
Worksheet time: 25mins
Two points on a progressive wave have a phase difference of π/6 rad
The speed of the wave is 340 m s–1
What is the frequency of the wave when the minimum distance between the two points is 0.12 m?
240 Hz
470 Hz
1400 Hz
2800 Hz
A uniform wire, fixed at both ends, is plucked in the middle so that it vibrates at the first harmonic as shown.
What is the phase difference between the oscillations of the particles at P and Q?
zero
Which shows the change in velocity, frequency and wavelength of an electromagnetic wave as it travels from an optically less dense to an optically more dense medium?
Velocity: decreases
Frequency: decreases
Wavelength: unchanged
Velocity: increases
Frequency: unchanged
Wavelength: increases
Velocity: decreases
Frequency: unchanged
Wavelength: decreases
Velocity: increases
Frequency: increases
Wavelength: unchanged
The graph shows how the vertical height of a travelling wave varies with distance along the path of the wave.
The speed of the wave is 20 cm s–1.
What is the period of the wave?
0.1 s
0.2 s
5.0 s
10.0 s
A progressive wave of frequency 150 Hz travels along a stretched string at a speed of 30 m s−1.
What is the phase difference between two points that are 50 mm apart on the string?
zero
90°
180°
360°
For waves on a water surface, the following graph shows how the displacement y of a water particle in the surface varies with the time t.
What are the quantities z and s?
z: frequency
s: amplitude
z: period
s: half-amplitude
z: wavelength
s: half-amplitude
z: period
s: amplitude
Two coherent sources generate sound waves of wavelength 0.40 m. The waves leave the sources in phase. A detector some distance from the sources receives the sound waves. The path difference between the detector and the sources is 0.90 m.
What is the phase difference between the waves arriving at the detector?
zero
45°
90°
180°
Two points on a progressive wave are one-eighth of a wavelength apart. The distance between them is 0.5 m, and the frequency of the oscillation is 10 Hz. What is the minimum speed of the wave?
0.2 m s–1
10 m s–1
20 m s–1
40 m s–1
Sound waves cross a boundary between two media X and Y. The frequency of the waves in X is 400 Hz. The speed of the waves in X is 330 m s–1 and the speed of the waves in Y is 1320 m s–1. What are the correct frequency and wavelength in Y?
Frequency / Hz: 100
Wavelength / m: 0.82
Frequency / Hz: 400
Wavelength / m: 0.82
Frequency / Hz: 400
Wavelength / m: 3.3
Frequency / Hz: 1600
Wavelength / m: 3.3
The diagram shows two pulses on a string travelling towards each other.
Which of the following diagrams shows the shape of the string when the pulses have passed through each other?
What is the phase difference between two points 0.16 m apart on a progressive sound wave of frequency 256 Hz?
speed of sound = 330 m s–1
The diagram shows a snapshot of a wave on a rope travelling from left to right.
At the instant shown, point P is at maximum displacement and point Q is at zero displacement.
Which one of the following correctly describes the motion of P and Q in the next half-cycle?
P: falls then rises
Q: rises
P: falls then rises
Q: rises then falls
P: falls
Q: falls
P: falls
Q: falls then rises
The speed of sound in water is 1500 m s−1. For a sound wave in water having frequency 2500
Hz, what is the minimum distance between two points at which the vibrations are π/3 rad out of phase?
0.05 m
0.10 m
0.15 m
0.20 m
Which row correctly shows electromagnetic radiations in order of decreasing wavelength?
gamma > ultraviolet > microwave
ultraviolet > gamma > microwave
microwave > ultraviolet > gamma
gamma > microwave > ultraviolet
Which statement is correct about the properties of an unpolarised electromagnetic wave as it passes through a polariser?
The wave remains unchanged.
The wave does not pass through the polariser.
The wave’s electric field oscillates along the direction of travel.
The intensity of the wave is reduced.
The graph shows how the vertical height of a travelling wave varies with distance along the path of the wave.
The speed of the wave is 20 cm s–1.
What is the period of the wave?
0.1 s
0.2 s
5.0 s
10.0 s
Which statement is not correct for ultrasound and X-rays?
Both can be refracted
Both can be diffracted
Both can be polarised
Both can be reflected
A stationary wave is set up on a stretched string of length l and diameter d. Another stationary wave is also set up on a second string made from the same material and with the same tension as the first.
What length and diameter are required for the second string so that both strings have the same first-harmonic frequency?
Length of second string: 2l
Diameter of second string: 2d
Length of second string: l
Diameter of second string: 2d
Length of second string: l/2
Diameter of second string: 2d
Length of second string: l
Diameter of second string: d/2
What is the correct order of increasing photon energy in the electromagnetic spectrum?
1 is least energy, 4 is greatest energy.
A
B
C
D
Which of the following waves cannot be polarised?
radio
ultrasonic
microwave
ultraviolet
Which one of the following provides direct experimental evidence that light is a transverse wave motion rather than a longitudinal wave motion?
Two light waves that are coherent can be made to interfere.
Light can be diffracted.
Light can be polarised.
The intensity of light from a point source falls off inversely as the square of the distance from the source.
The sound quality of a portable radio is improved by adjusting the orientation of the aerial.
Which statement is a correct explanation of this improvement?
The radio waves from the transmitter are polarised.
The radio waves from the transmitter are unpolarised.
The radio waves become polarised as a result of adjusting the aerial.
The radio waves become unpolarised as a result of adjusting the aerial.
Which one of the following properties of light waves do polarising sunglasses depend on for their action?
Light waves may
interfere constructively.
interfere destructively.
be polarised when reflected from a surface.
be polarised by the lens in the eye.
By approximately how many times is the wavelength of audible sound waves greater than the wavelength of light waves?
102
106
1010
1014
Which line, A to D, in the table shows correct relationships for the respective wavelengths, λL, λS, and frequencies, fL, fS, of light waves and sound waves?
A
B
C
D
The audible range of a girl's hearing is 30 Hz to 16 500 Hz. If the speed of sound in air is 330 m s−1, what is the shortest wavelength of sound in air which the girl can hear?
30/330 m
16500/330 m
330/16500 m
330/30 m
Which one of the following types of wave cannot be polarised?
radio
ultraviolet
microwave
ultrasonic
Two points on a progressive wave differ in phase by π/4. The distance between them is 0.5 m, and the frequency of the oscillation is 10 Hz. What is the minimum speed of the wave?
0.2 m s−1
10 m s−1
20 m s−1
40 m s−1
Which line, A to D, in the table gives a correct difference between a progressive wave and a stationary wave?
A
B
C
D
A wave of frequency 5 Hz travels at 8 km s–1 through a medium. What is the phase difference, in radians, between two points 2 km apart?
0
π
A source emits light of wavelength 600 nm as a train of waves lasting 0.01 µs. How many complete waves are sent out?
speed of light = 3 × 108 m s−1
5 × 106
18 × 107
5 × 109
5 × 1022
The graph shows, at a particular instant, the variation of the displacement of the particles in a transverse progressive water wave, of wavelength 4 cm, travelling from left to right. Which one of the following statements is not true?
The distance PS = 3 cm.
The particle velocity at Q is a maximum
The particle at S is moving downwards
Particles at P and R are in phase.
The audible range of a girl's hearing is 30 Hz to 16 500 Hz. If the speed of sound in air is 330 m s−1, what is the shortest wavelength of sound in air which the girl can hear?
30/330 m
16500/330 m
330/16500 m
330/30 m
A wave motion has period T, frequency f, wavelength λ and speed ʋ. Which one of the following equations is incorrect?
1 = Tf
1 = ʋ/λ
λ = ʋ/f
Tʋ = λ
A progressive wave in a stretched string has a speed of 20 m s−1 and a frequency of 100 Hz.
What is the phase difference between two points 25 mm apart?
zero
π/4 rad
π/2 rad
π rad
The least distance between two points of a progressive transverse wave which have a phase difference of π/3 rad is 0.050 m. If the frequency of the wave is 500 Hz, what is the speed of the wave?
25 m s–1
75 m s–1
150 m s–1
1666 m s–1
Two waves with amplitudes a and 3a interfere.
The ratio in the image is
2
3
4
infinity
A uniform wire, fixed at both ends, is plucked in the middle so that it vibrates at the first harmonic as shown.
What is the phase difference between the oscillations of the particles at P and Q?
zero
π/4 rad
π/2 rad
3π/4 rad
Which of the following statements about the behaviour of waves is incorrect?
All waves can be diffracted.
All waves can be made to undergo superposition.
All waves can be refracted
All waves can be polarised.
Two radio transmitters emit waves at a frequency of 1.4 MHz. A stationary wave is set up between the two transmitters due to the superposition of the radio waves.
What is the minimum distance between two nodes in the stationary wave?
107 m
214 m
428 m
857 m
Which of the following is correct for a stationary wave?
Between two nodes the amplitude of the wave is constant.
The two waves producing the stationary wave must always be 180° out of phase.
The separation of the nodes for the second harmonic is double the separation of nodes for the first harmonic
Between two nodes all parts of the wave vibrate in phase.
The frequency of the first harmonic of a standing wave on a wire is f. The length of the wire and tension in the wire are both doubled.
What is the frequency of the first harmonic as a result?
2f
f
2f
2f
A microwave transmitter is used to direct microwaves of wavelength 30 mm along a line XY. A metal plate is positioned at right angles to XY with its mid-point on the line, as shown.
When a detector is moved gradually along XY, its reading alternates between maxima and minima. Which one of the following statements is not correct?
The distance between two minima could be 15 mm.
The distance between two maxima could be 30 mm.
The distance between a minimum and a maximum could be 30 mm.
The distance between a minimum and a maximum could be 37.5 mm.
A stationary wave is formed by two identical waves of frequency 300 Hz travelling in opposite directions along the same line. If the distance between adjacent nodes is 0.60 m, what is the speed of each wave?
180 m s−1
250 m s−1
360 m s−1
500 m s−1
Which line, A to D, in the table gives a correct difference between a progressive wave and a stationary wave?
A
B
C
D
Stationary waves are set up on a length of rope fixed at both ends. Which one of the following statements is true?
Between adjacent nodes, particles of the rope vibrate in phase with each other.
The mid point of the rope is always stationary.
Nodes need not necessarily be present at each end of the rope.
Particles of the rope at adjacent antinodes always move in the same direction.
A uniform wire fixed at both ends is vibrating in its fundamental mode. Which one of the following statements is not correct for all the vibrating particles?
They vibrate in phase.
They vibrate with the same amplitude.
They vibrate with the same frequency.
They vibrate at right angles to the wire.
The diagram above shows a stationary wave on a stretched string at a time t = 0. Which one of the diagrams, A to D, correctly shows the position of the string at a time t = 0.010 s?
Which one of the following statements about stationary waves is true?
Particles between adjacent nodes all have the same amplitude.
Particles between adjacent nodes are out of phase with each other.
Particles immediately on either side of a node are moving in opposite directions.
There is a minimum disturbance of the medium at an antinode.
Which one of the following statements about stationary waves is true?
Particles between adjacent nodes all have the same amplitude.
Particles between adjacent nodes are out of phase with each other.
Particles immediately on either side of a node are moving in opposite directions.
There is minimum disturbance of the medium at an antinode.
