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Waves Study Guide

Total questions: 50

Worksheet time: 25mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What is a wave?

a)

A disturbance that transfers energy through matter or space

b)

A type of particle

c)

A solid object

d)

A chemical reaction

2.

Which type of wave transfers Radiant (Light) energy?

a)

Transverse

b)

Longitudinal

c)

Mechanical

d)

Seismic

3.

What is required for Mechanical/Longitudinal waves to travel?

a)

A medium

b)

Vacuum

c)

Light

d)

Sound

4.

Sound waves travel via which type of waves?

a)

Transverse waves

b)

Longitudinal waves

c)

Surface waves

d)

Electromagnetic waves

5.

How is frequency measured?

a)

Hertz (Hz)

b)

Meters (m)

c)

Seconds (s)

d)

Amperes (A)

6.

The relationship between wavelength and frequency is:

a)

Direct

b)

Inverse

c)

Unrelated

d)

Equal

7.

What is the definition of reflection in the context of waves?

a)

The bouncing back of a wave when it hits a surface through which it cannot pass.

b)

The bending of waves around obstacles.

c)

The spreading of waves as they pass through a narrow opening.

d)

The change in direction of waves as they pass from one medium to another.

8.

What is the definition of diffraction in the context of waves?

a)

The bouncing back of a wave when it hits a surface through which it cannot pass.

b)

The bending of waves around obstacles.

c)

The spreading of waves as they pass through a narrow opening.

d)

The change in direction of waves as they pass from one medium to another.

9.

What is the definition of refraction in the context of waves?

a)

The bending of waves as they pass from one medium to another

b)

The reflection of waves off a surface

c)

The absorption of waves by a medium

d)

The scattering of waves in different directions

10.

Which application uses sound waves to detect underwater objects and ocean depth?

a)

Sonar

b)

Radar

c)

Ultrasound

d)

Echolocation

11.

Which application uses radio waves to detect objects such as airplanes and boats?

a)

Sonar

b)

Radar

c)

Ultrasound

d)

Echolocation

12.

Echolocation is a biological sonar used by which animals?

a)

Bats and dolphins

b)

Lions and tigers

c)

Elephants and rhinos

d)

Eagles and hawks

13.

Resonance is a phenomenon that occurs when a system is driven at its natural frequency. Which of the following is an example of resonance?

a)

A singer breaking a glass with their voice

b)

A car accelerating on a highway

c)

A person walking on a sidewalk

d)

A book falling off a shelf

14.

What is the relationship between pitch and frequency?

a)

Direct

b)

Inverse

c)

Not Related

d)

Inequality

15.

Fill in the blank: A lower pitch results from a lower frequency and a higher pitch results from a ______ frequency.

a)

higher

b)

lower

c)

medium

d)

constant

16.

How are amplitude and loudness related?

a)

Amplitude and loudness are directly proportional.

b)

Amplitude and loudness are inversely proportional.

c)

Amplitude affects loudness but they are not directly proportional.

d)

Amplitude and loudness are unrelated.

17.

What happens during constructive interference?

a)

Waves cancel each other out

b)

Waves amplify each other

c)

Waves change direction

d)

Waves lose energy

18.

What is the speed of sound in air at room temperature (20oC)?

a)

Approximately 400 meters per second

b)

Approximately 300 meters per second

c)

Approximately 500 meters per second

d)

Approximately 343 meters per second

19.

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

a)

Water wave

b)

Seismic P-wave

c)

Light wave

d)

Sound wave

20.

What happens during destructive interference?

a)

Waves amplify each other

b)

Waves cancel each other out

c)

Waves change direction

d)

Waves increase in frequency

21.

What is the primary factor that affects the speed of sound in a medium?

a)

Weight

b)

Shape

c)

Color

d)

Temperature

22.

Which phenomenon occurs when waves overlap and combine to form a new wave pattern?

a)

Reflection

b)

Refraction

c)

Interference

d)

Diffraction

23.

What is the term for the highest point of a wave?

a)

Amplitude

b)

Crest

c)

Frequency

d)

Trough

24.

In general, the more energy a wave has the greater its amplitude.

a)

True

b)

False

25.

Since sound is a mechanical wave it does not need a medium to travel through.

a)

True

b)

False

26.

Which of the following is transferred during the movement of a wave?

a)

matter

b)

speed

c)

mass

d)

energy

27.

Which of the following is NOT a medium through which a mechanical wave can travel?

a)

vacuum (i.e. empty space)

b)

solid

c)

liquid

d)

gas

28.

This figure shows a_____________.

a)

compressional wave

b)

transverse wave

c)

decibel scale

d)

electromagnetic wave

29.

In the figure shown, point B is called a___________.

a)

rarefaction

b)

amplitude

c)

trough

d)

crest

30.

In the figure shown, point D is called__.

a)

diffraction

b)

trough

c)

crest

d)

compression

31.

The amplitude of a wave is _______.

a)

the distance between the crest and the rest position of the wave

b)

the distance the wave moves in one second

c)

the distance equal to one wave length

d)

the distance the wave moves in one time period

32.

The number of cycles or waves passing a particular point every second is the _________.

a)

amplitude

b)

pitch

c)

reverberation

d)

frequency

33.

Sound travels fastest in a ___________.

a)

solid

b)

liquid

c)

gas

d)

both a and c

34.

Often you can see the lightning before you hear the thunder because__________.

a)

sound waves travel slower than light waves

b)

sound waves travel faster than light waves

35.

When sound travels through air, the particles _________.

a)

vibration along the direction the wave travels

b)

do not vibrate

c)

vibrate but not in any fixed direction

d)

vibrate perpendicular to the direction wave

36.

Which wave is pictured?

a)

Transverse

b)

Longitudinal

c)

Electromagnetic

d)

Light

37.

Which wave in the diagram has the greatest frequency?

a)

1

b)

2

c)

3

d)

4

38.

Which wave in the diagram has the longest wavelength?

a)

1

b)

2

c)

3

d)

4

39.

Longitudinal waves move __________ to the energy of the wave (select all that apply).

a)

Parallel

b)

Perpendicular

c)

At a 90 degree angle

d)

In the same direction

40.

Transverse waves move __________ to the energy in the wave (select all that apply).

a)

Parallel

b)

Perpendicular

c)

At 90 degree angle

d)

In the same direction

41.

Which property of a wave determines its pitch?

a)

Frequency

b)

Amplitude

c)

Speed

d)

Wavelength

42.

What is the term for the distance between two consecutive crests in a wave?

a)

Wavelength

b)

Period

c)

Amplitude

d)

Frequency

43.

Which type of wave requires a medium to travel?

a)

Radio wave

b)

Mechanical wave

c)

Electromagnetic wave

d)

Light wave

44.

Which property of a wave determines its loudness?

a)

Amplitude

b)

Frequency

c)

Wavelength

d)

Speed

45.

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

a)

It becomes zero

b)

It stays the same

c)

It increases

d)

It decreases

46.

What is the term for the lowest point of a wave?

a)

Amplitude

b)

Frequency

c)

Trough

d)

Crest

47.

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

a)

It decreases

b)

It stays the same

c)

It becomes zero

d)

It increases

48.

What happens to the speed of sound when it travels from air into water?

a)

It decreases

b)

It increases

c)

It becomes zero

d)

It stays the same

49.

What is the term for the region in a longitudinal wave where particles are spread apart?

a)

Compression

b)

Trough

c)

Crest

d)

Rarefaction

50.

What is the term for the region in a longitudinal wave where particles are close together?

a)

Compression

b)

Trough

c)

Crest

d)

Rarefaction