Wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Mechanical Waves

Total questions: 35

Worksheet time: 26mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What property of this wave is represented by the letter "A"

a)

amplitude

b)

crest

c)

trough

d)

wavelength

2.
What property of the wave is represented by the letter "B"?
a)
amplitude
b)
crest
c)
trough
d)
wavelength
3.
The highest point on a wave is:
a)
the crest
b)
the trough
c)
the top
d)
the coast 
4.
The lowest point on a wave is the:
a)
Amplitude
b)
Crest
c)
Trough
d)
Wavelength
5.
The number of wavelengths that pass a point each per second is:
a)
frequency
b)
period
c)
longitudinal 
d)
transverse wave 
6.
Which letter(s) represent the crest of the wave?
a)
A
b)
B & D
c)
B & F
d)
F
7.
Which wave in the diagram has the greatest frequency?
a)
1
b)
2
c)
3
d)
4
8.
What do waves carry from place to place?
a)
Energy, but not matter or particles
b)
Energy and matter or particles
c)
Matter or particles but not energy
d)
Neither energy nor matter or particles
9.
Which wave is pictured?
a)
Transverse
b)
Longitudinal
c)
Both
d)
Neither
10.

Which transverse wave has the highest frequency?

a)

1

b)

2

c)

3

d)

4

11.

Which diagram shows the wavelength of a wave?

a)
b)
c)
12.

Waves that require a medium are known as

a)

Medium waves

b)

Mechanical waves

c)

Air waves

d)

Heat waves

13.

What is the wavelength?

a)

length between crest to crest or trough to trough

b)

the height of a wave

c)

how fast the wave goes

d)

the amount of times a wave passes through a certain point

14.
Which letter(s) represent the trough of the wave?
a)
A
b)
B & D
c)
D
d)
C & G
15.

How do electromagnetic and mechanical waves compare?

a)

Mechanical waves can only travel through a vacuum, but electromagnetic waves can travel through a solid, liquid, or gas.

b)

Mechanical waves can travel through a solid, liquid, or gas, but electromagnetic waves can only travel through a gas.

c)

Mechanical waves can only travel through a solid, liquid, or gas, but electromagnetic waves can travel through a vacuum.

d)

Mechanical waves can travel through a solid, liquid, or gas, but electromagnetic waves can only travel through a solid.

16.

A student asks a series of questions about a wave. The answer to which question will allow the student to determine whether the wave is electromagnetic or mechanical?

a)

Does it require a medium in order to travel?

b)

Can it pass through air and water?

c)

Does it have a measurable speed?

d)

Does it have a measurable frequency?

17.

A student is measuring the distance between the crest and the rest position of both a mechanical wave and an electromagnetic wave. Which question is the student trying to answer?

a)

What is the speed of the waves?

b)

What is the amplitude of the waves?

c)

What is the wavelength of the waves?

d)

What is the frequency of the waves?

18.

Which distance represents the wavelength?

a)

W

b)

X

c)

Y

d)

Z

19.

Which distance represents the amplitude?

a)

W

b)

X

c)

Y

d)

Z

20.

How many wavelengths separate point A and point B?

a)

1.5

b)

2.0

c)

2.5

d)

3.0

21.

This is a _____ wave.

a)

surface

b)

longitudinal

c)

transverse

22.

This is a _____ wave.

a)

surface

b)

longitudinal

c)

transverse

23.

The part in a longitudinal wave where the particles are spread apart.

a)

amplitude

b)

compression

c)

frequency

d)

rarefaction

24.

The part of a longitudinal wave where the particles are close together.

a)

amplitude

b)

compression

c)

frequency

d)

rarefaction

25.
Which wave in the diagram has the greatest wavelength?
a)
1
b)
2
c)
3
d)
4
26.

The matter (solid, liquid, or gas) through which mechanical waves travel.

a)

medium

b)

vibration

c)

disturbance

d)

energy

27.
Which statement can be made based on these data?
a)
Sound waves are slowest in liquids and fastest in gases.
b)
Sound waves are fastest in solids and slowest in gases.
c)
Speed of a sound wave increases from one medium to another.
d)
Speed of a sound wave decreases from one medium to another.
28.

The unit of measure for speed (v) is

a)

m

b)

Hz

c)

m/s

d)

none of the above

29.

The unit of measure for frequency ( f ) is

a)

m

b)

Hz

c)

m/s

d)

none of the above

30.

The unit of measure for wavelength (λ) is

a)

m

b)

Hz

c)

m/s

d)

none of the above

31.

Side-by-side you

a)

add

b)

subtract

c)

multiply

d)

divide

32.

One over the other you

a)

add

b)

subtract

c)

multiply

d)

divide

33.

Which letter represents the REST POSITION?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

e)

E

34.

The two graphs above show the SAME wave.

What is this wave's amplitude?

a)

0.05

b)

0.25

c)

0.1

d)

2

35.

You can't hear sounds in outer space because there is no

a)

medium

b)

light

c)

energy

d)

heat