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Worksheets

IGCSE Physics Wave Properties

Total questions: 90

Worksheet time: 45mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which of the following is an example of a longitudinal wave?

a)

Water waves

b)

Light waves

c)

Sound waves

d)

Waves on a string

2.

A wave has a frequency of 500 Hz and a wavelength of 0.7 m. What is its speed?

a)

350 m/s

b)

700 m/s

c)

250 m/s

d)

175 m/s

3.

What happens to the wavelength of a wave when its frequency is doubled and its speed remains constant?

a)

It doubles

b)

It halves

c)

It remains the same

d)

It quadruples

4.

Which property of a wave determines its loudness in sound or brightness in light?

a)

Frequency

b)

Wavelength

c)

Amplitude

d)

Speed

5.

A wave travels 120 m in 4 seconds. If its wavelength is 3 m, what is its frequency?

a)

10 Hz

b)

40 Hz

c)

20 Hz

d)

30 Hz

6.

What type of wave can travel through a vacuum?

a)

Sound waves

b)

Water waves

c)

Electromagnetic waves

d)

Seismic waves

7.

In which medium does sound travel fastest?

a)

Air

b)

Water

c)

Steel

d)

Vacuum

8.

What is the name given to the bending of waves around obstacles?

a)

Reflection

b)

Refraction

c)

Diffraction

d)

Interference

9.

Which color of visible light has the longest wavelength?

a)

Violet

b)

Blue

c)

Green

d)

Red

10.

What happens to the speed of sound as the temperature of air increases?

a)

Decreases

b)

Increases

c)

Remains the same

d)

Becomes zero

11.

Which of the following is true about the speed of electromagnetic waves in a vacuum?

a)

It depends on the frequency

b)

It depends on the wavelength

c)

It is constant for all electromagnetic waves

d)

It varies with temperature

12.

What is the process called when a wave bounces off a surface?

a)

Refraction

b)

Reflection

c)

Diffraction

d)

Absorption

13.

A wave has a period of 0.1 seconds. What is its frequency?

a)

0.1 Hz

b)

1 Hz

c)

10 Hz

d)

100 Hz

14.

Which of the following best describes a transverse wave?

a)

Particles move parallel to wave direction

b)

Particles move perpendicular to wave direction

c)

Particles don't move

d)

Particles move in circles

15.

What happens to the wavelength of light as it passes from air into glass?

a)

Increases

b)

Decreases

c)

Remains the same

d)

Becomes zero

16.

Which property of a wave determines the color of light or the pitch of sound?

a)

Amplitude

b)

Wavelength

c)

Speed

d)

Energy

17.

What is the speed of electromagnetic waves in a vacuum?

a)

3 × 10^7 m/s

b)

3 × 10^8 m/s

c)

3 × 10^9 m/s

d)

3 × 10^10 m/s

18.

In which situation does total internal reflection occur?

a)

Light traveling from air to water

b)

Light traveling from water to air at an angle greater than the critical angle

c)

Light traveling from water to air at any angle

d)

Light traveling through air only

19.

What is the relationship between frequency (f), wavelength (λ), and wave speed (v)?

a)

v = f + λ

b)

v = f - λ

c)

v = f × λ

d)

v = f ÷ λ

20.

Which of the following is not a characteristic of all waves?

a)

They transfer energy

b)

They require a medium to travel

c)

They can be reflected

d)

They can be refracted

21.

What happens to the frequency of a wave as it travels from one medium to another?

a)

It always increases

b)

It always decreases

c)

It remains constant

d)

It depends on the media

22.

Which type of electromagnetic wave has the highest frequency?

a)

Radio waves

b)

Microwaves

c)

X-rays

d)

Gamma rays

23.

What is the wavelength of a sound wave with a frequency of 256 Hz if the speed of sound in air is 340 m/s?

a)

0.75 m

b)

1.33 m

c)

2.66 m

d)

3.98 m

24.

In which part of the electromagnetic spectrum do X-rays belong?

a)

Infrared

b)

Ultraviolet

c)

Visible

d)

None of the above

25.

What happens to the wavelength of light when it enters a medium with a higher refractive index?

a)

Increases

b)

Decreases

c)

Remains the same

d)

Becomes infinite

26.

Which of the following is true about the nodes in a standing wave?

a)

They have maximum amplitude

b)

They have zero amplitude

c)

They have varying amplitude

d)

They don't exist in standing waves

27.

What is the main difference between mechanical and electromagnetic waves?

a)

Speed

b)

Frequency

c)

Need for a medium

d)

Direction of oscillation

28.

How does the amplitude of a wave affect its energy?

a)

Energy is directly proportional to amplitude

b)

Energy is inversely proportional to amplitude

c)

Energy is proportional to the square of the amplitude

d)

Energy is independent of amplitude

29.

What happens to the speed of light when it enters a medium with a higher refractive index?

a)

Increases

b)

Decreases

c)

Remains the same

d)

Becomes zero

30.

Which of the following is an application of total internal reflection?

a)

Lenses

b)

Prisms

c)

Fiber optics

d)

Diffraction gratings

31.

What is the frequency of the electromagnetic wave with a wavelength of 5 × 10^-7 m in vacuum?

a)

1.5 × 10^14 Hz

b)

3 × 10^14 Hz

c)

6 × 10^14 Hz

d)

9 × 10^14 Hz

32.

Which of the following is true about the wavelengths of infrared and ultraviolet light?

a)

Infrared has a longer wavelength

b)

Ultraviolet has a longer wavelength

c)

They have the same wavelength

d)

Their wavelengths are not comparable

33.

What happens to the wave speed when a sound wave travels from air into water?

a)

Decreases slightly

b)

Increases significantly

c)

Remains exactly the same

d)

Becomes zero

34.

Which of the following best describes the motion of particles in a medium when a sound wave passes through it?

a)

Circular motion

b)

Motion perpendicular to wave direction

c)

Motion parallel to wave direction

d)

No motion

35.

What is the period of a wave with a frequency of 50 Hz?

a)

0.02 s

b)

0.05 s

c)

0.5 s

d)

2 s

36.

Which of the following is not a property of electromagnetic waves?

a)

They can travel through a vacuum

b)

They all travel at the same speed in a vacuum

c)

They require a medium to propagate

d)

They can be reflected and refracted

37.

What happens to the frequency of a sound wave as it travels from a cold region to a warm region of air?

a)

Increases

b)

Decreases

c)

Remains the same

d)

Becomes zero

38.

Which color of visible light has the shortest wavelength?

a)

Red

b)

Green

c)

Blue

d)

Violet

39.

What is the speed of a wave with a frequency of 500 Hz and a wavelength of 0.6 m?

a)

250 m/s

b)

300 m/s

c)

350 m/s

d)

400 m/s

40.

What is the speed of a wave with a frequency of 50 Hz and a wavelength of 2 meters?

a)

25 m/s

b)

100 m/s

c)

75 m/s

d)

50 m/s

41.

Which of the following is a longitudinal wave?

a)

Light

b)

Microwaves

c)

Sound

d)

X-rays

42.

The time taken for one complete wave cycle is called the

a)

Amplitude

b)

Frequency

c)

Wavelength

d)

Period

43.

In a transverse wave, the particles of the medium move

a)

Parallel to the wave direction

b)

Perpendicular to the wave direction

c)

In a circular motion

d)

In random directions

44.

What is the unit of frequency?

a)

Seconds (s)

b)

Meters (m)

c)

Hertz (Hz)

d)

Joules (J)

45.

The amplitude of a wave is related to its

a)

Speed

b)

Energy

c)

Wavelength

d)

Frequency

46.

Which of the following waves has the shortest wavelength?

a)

Radio waves

b)

Microwaves

c)

Visible light

d)

Gamma rays

47.

A wave with a higher frequency has a

a)

Longer wavelength

b)

Shorter wavelength

c)

Higher speed

d)

Lower amplitude

48.

What happens to a wave's speed when it moves from air into water?

a)

Increases

b)

Decreases

c)

Stays the same

d)

It stops

49.

What type of wave is used in mobile phone communication?

a)

Infrared waves

b)

Ultrasound waves

c)

Microwaves

d)

X-rays

50.

When two waves overlap and combine, it is called

a)

Reflection

b)

Refraction

c)

Diffraction

d)

Interference

51.

What is the term for the bending of a wave as it passes through a gap or around an obstacle?

a)

Reflection

b)

Refraction

c)

Diffraction

d)

Polarization

52.

What happens to a light wave when it moves from water to air?

a)

It speeds up

b)

It slows down

c)

It stays the same

d)

It gets absorbed

53.

What is the wavelength of a wave with a frequency of 200 Hz and speed of 400 m/s?

a)

1 m

b)

0.5 m

c)

2 m

d)

4 m

54.

What is the unit of wavelength?

a)

Meters

b)

Seconds

c)

Hertz

d)

Newtons

55.

What is the primary difference between longitudinal and transverse waves?

a)

Direction of energy transfer

b)

Speed

c)

Amplitude

d)

Wavelength

56.

Which of the following is a use of infrared waves?

a)

Sterilizing medical equipment

b)

Cooking food

c)

Radio broadcasting

d)

X-ray imaging

57.

Which of the following best describes the frequency of a wave?

a)

The height of the wave

b)

The number of cycles per second

c)

The time it takes for one cycle

d)

The speed of the wave

58.

When light bounces off a surface, it is called

a)

Refraction

b)

Diffraction

c)

Absorption

d)

Reflection

59.

Which type of wave can travel through a vacuum?

a)

Sound waves

b)

Water waves

c)

Radio waves

d)

Seismic waves

60.

What type of waves are sound waves?

a)

Transverse

b)

Electromagnetic

c)

Mechanical

d)

Stationary

61.

Which of the following affects the pitch of a sound?

a)

Amplitude

b)

Frequency

c)

Speed

d)

Wavelength

62.

What is the distance between two consecutive compressions in a longitudinal wave called?

a)

Wavelength

b)

Amplitude

c)

Frequency

d)

Speed

63.

Which electromagnetic waves are used to detect broken bones?

a)

Gamma rays

b)

Ultrasound waves

c)

X-rays

d)

Infrared waves

64.

The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection according to the law of

a)

Diffraction

b)

Interference

c)

Reflection

d)

Refraction

65.

What happens to light when it passes through a prism?

a)

It speeds up

b)

It slows down

c)

It is refracted

d)

It is reflected

66.

What is the speed of electromagnetic waves in a vacuum?

a)

3 x 10^8 m/s

b)

3 x 10^6 m/s

c)

1 x 10^8 m/s

d)

1 x 10^6 m/s

67.

The loudness of a sound is determined by its

a)

Frequency

b)

Speed

c)

Wavelength

d)

Amplitude

68.

Which of the following electromagnetic waves has the highest energy?

a)

Radio waves

b)

Infrared waves

c)

Ultraviolet waves

d)

Gamma rays

69.

What happens when two waves interfere constructively?

a)

They cancel each other out

b)

They get smaller

c)

They combine to form a larger wave

d)

They reflect off each other

70.

Which of the following waves cannot be polarized?

a)

Sound waves

b)

Light waves

c)

Radio waves

d)

Microwaves

71.

The pitch of a sound wave is directly related to its

a)

Amplitude

b)

Frequency

c)

Speed

d)

Wavelength

72.

What type of electromagnetic radiation is used in night vision devices?

a)

Gamma rays

b)

X-rays

c)

Infrared waves

d)

Microwaves

73.

What happens to a wave when it undergoes diffraction?

a)

Its frequency increases

b)

Its speed decreases

c)

Its wavelength decreases

d)

It spreads out

74.

Which of the following is a characteristic of longitudinal waves?

a)

They cannot travel through solids

b)

They cannot travel through liquids

c)

They have compressions and rarefactions

d)

They only travel through air

75.

In which medium do electromagnetic waves travel the fastest?

a)

Air

b)

Water

c)

Glass

d)

Vacuum

76.

What happens to the wavelength of a wave as its frequency increases?

a)

It increases

b)

It decreases

c)

It stays the same

d)

It doubles

77.

Which wave property is affected when sound becomes louder?

a)

Frequency

b)

Amplitude

c)

Speed

d)

Wavelength

78.

What happens to a light wave when it enters a medium of higher optical density?

a)

It speeds up

b)

It slows down

c)

It disappears

d)

It changes color

79.

Which of the following is NOT a property of electromagnetic waves?

a)

They travel at the same speed in a vacuum

b)

They can travel through a vacuum

c)

They are longitudinal waves

d)

They can be polarized

80.

When a wave strikes a barrier and bounces back, this is called

a)

Refraction

b)

Diffraction

c)

Absorption

d)

Reflection

81.

Which type of electromagnetic radiation is used for sterilizing medical equipment?

a)

X-rays

b)

Gamma rays

c)

Ultraviolet waves

d)

Microwaves

82.

In which type of wave do particles vibrate parallel to the direction of wave travel?

a)

Transverse waves

b)

Longitudinal waves

c)

Electromagnetic waves

d)

Surface waves

83.

What is the frequency of a wave that has a period of 0.2 seconds?

a)

0.2 Hz

b)

5 Hz

c)

20 Hz

d)

50 Hz

84.

Which of the following waves has the longest wavelength?

a)

Radio waves

b)

Ultraviolet waves

c)

X-rays

d)

Gamma rays

85.

Which phenomenon causes the colors seen in a soap bubble?

a)

Diffraction

b)

Reflection

c)

Refraction

d)

Interference

86.

Which of the following types of waves requires a medium to travel?

a)

Radio waves

b)

Microwaves

c)

Sound waves

d)

Infrared waves

87.

Which of the following describes how ultrasound is used in medical imaging?

a)

By reflection of sound waves

b)

By absorption of light waves

c)

By refraction of X-rays

d)

By diffraction of radio waves

88.

What is the relationship between wave speed, frequency, and wavelength?

a)

Speed = Frequency / Wavelength

b)

Speed = Frequency x Wavelength

c)

Speed = Wavelength / Frequency

d)

Speed = Frequency + Wavelength

89.

Which of the following is an example of diffraction?

a)

A light wave bending as it enters water

b)

A sound wave bending around a corner

c)

Light being reflected off a mirror

d)

A sound wave being absorbed by a wall

90.

The bending of waves as they enter a new medium at an angle is called

a)

Reflection

b)

Refraction

c)

Diffraction

d)

Interference