Practice Problems

For 1st Wave Exam

1. Which wave diagram has both wavelength ( ) and 5. The energy of a sound wave is most closely related to the
amplitude (A) labeled correctly? wave's
A) A) frequency B) amplitude
C) wavelength D) speed
6. As a transverse wave travels through a medium, the
individual particles of the medium move
B) A) perpendicular to the direction of wave travel
B) parallel to the direction of wave travel
C) in circles
D) in ellipses

C) 7. A transverse wave passes through a uniform material

medium from left to right, as shown in the diagram
below.

D)

2. The diagram below shows two points, A and B, on a Which diagram best represents the direction of vibration
wave train. of the particles of the medium?
A) B)

C) D)
How many wavelengths separate point A and point B?
A) 1.0 B) 1.5 C) 3.0 D) 0.75
3. Which is a unit of wavelength? 8. The diagram below shows a transverse water wave
moving in the direction shown by velocity vector v.
A) cycles/second B) meters/second
C) seconds D) meters/cycle
4. What is the wavelength of the wave shown in to diagram
below?

At the instant shown, a cork at point P on the water's

surface is moving toward
A) A B) B C) C D) D
A) 1 m B) 2 m C) 3 m D) 0.5 m
 Practice Problems

Base your answers to questions 9 through 11 on the information and diagram below.

A longitudinal wave moves to the right through a uniform medium, as shown below.
Point A, B, C, D, and E represent the positions of particles of the medium

9. The energy of this wave is related to its

A) amplitude B) period C) speed D) wavelength
10. The wavelength of this wave is equal to the distance between points
A) A and B B) A and C C) B and C D) B and E
11. Which diagram best represents the motion of the particle at position C as the wave moves to the right?
A) B) C) D)

12. Which form(s) of energy can be transmitted through a 16. A physics student notices that 4.0 waves arrive at the
vacuum? beach every 20. seconds. The frequency of these waves
is
A) light, only
B) sound, only A) 0.20 Hz B) 5.0 Hz
C) both light and sound C) 16 Hz D) 80. Hz
D) neither light nor sound 17. A periodic wave having a frequency of 5.0 hertz and a
13. A physics student takes her pulse and determines that speed of 10. meters per second has a wavelength of
her heart beats periodically 60 times in 60 seconds. The A) 0.50 m B) 2.0 m
period of her heartbeat is C) 5.0 m D) 50. m
A) 1 Hz B) 60 Hz C) 1 s D) 60 s 18. What is the wavelength of a light ray with frequency
14. While sitting in a boat, a fisherman observes that two 5.09 × 10 14 hertz as it travels through Lucite?
complete waves pass by his position every 4 seconds. A) 3.93 × 10 –7 m B) 5.89 × 10 –7 m
What is the period of these waves?
C) 3.39 × 10 14 m D) 7.64 × 10 14 m
A) 0.5 s B) 2 s C) 8 s D) 4 s 19. A car’s horn produces a sound wave of constant
15. A motor is used to produce 4.0 waves each second in a frequency. As the car speeds up going away from a
string. What is the frequency of the waves? stationary spectator, the sound wave detected by the
spectator
A) 0.25 Hz B) 15 Hz
C) 25 Hz D) 4.0 Hz A) decreases in amplitude and decreases in frequency
B) decreases in amplitude and increases in frequency
C) increases in amplitude and decreases in frequency
D) increases in amplitude and increases in frequency
 Practice Problems

20. A car’s horn is producing a sound wave having a

constant frequency of 350 hertz. If the car moves
toward a stationary observer at constant speed, the
frequency of the car’s horn detected by this observer
may be
A) 320 Hz B) 330 Hz
C) 350 Hz D) 380 Hz
21. What is characteristic of both sound waves and
electromagnetic waves?
A) They require a medium.
B) They transfer energy.
C) They are mechanical waves.
D) They are longitudinal waves.
22. A single vibratory disturbance moving through a
medium is called
A) a node B) an antinode
C) a standing wave D) a pulse
23. A series of pulses generated at regular time intervals in
an elastic medium will produce
A) nodes B) antinodes
C) a polarized wave D) a periodic wave
24. Base your answer to the following question on The diagram below represents two pulses approaching each
other.

Which diagram best represents the resultant pulse at the instant the pulses are passing through each other?
A) B) C) D)
 Practice Problems

25. The diagram below shows two waves traveling toward each other at equal speed in a uniform medium.

When both waves are in the region between points A and B, they will undergo
A) diffraction B) the Doppler effect
C) destructive interference D) constructive interference
26. The diagram below represents a periodic wave.

Which two points on the wave are out of phase?

A) A and C B) B and F C) C and E D) D and G
27. The diagram below shows a standing wave. 28. Base your answer to the following question on The
diagram below represents a light ray striking the
boundary between air and glass.

Point A on the standing wave is

A) a node resulting from constructive interference
B) a node resulting from destructive interference
C) an antinode resulting from constructive
interference
D) an antinode resulting from destructive interference What would be the angle between this light ray and its
reflected ray?
A) 30.° B) 60.° C) 120.° D) 150.°
29. The change in the direction of a wave when it passes
obliquely from one medium to another is called
A) diffraction B) interference
C) refraction D) superposition
 Practice Problems

30. A beam of monochromatic light approaches a barrier

having four openings, A, B, C, and D, of different sizes
as shown below.

Which opening will cause the greatest diffraction?

A) A B) B C) C D) D
 Answer Key
2014 Waves I review

1. C
2. B
3. D
4. B
5. B
6. A
7. C
8. B
9. A
10. B
11. D
12. A
13. C
14. B
15. D
16. A
17. B
18. A
19. A
20. D
21. B
22. D
23. D
24. B
25. D
26. D
27. B
28. C
29. C
30. A