Answer the following questions based on your knowledge of mechanical waves, electromagnetic waves, light, and general wave phenomena. Consult your Reference Tables for Physics as necessary. Place your selected answer to each question on a separate sheet of paper. Be prepared to submit completed answer sheets by Wednesday April 11, either in class or via
e-mail to NewtonsDisciple@aol.com.
1. Electromagnetic waves consist of which two components?
a. nuclear and gravitational b. electric and magnetic
c. gravitational and magnetic d. gravitational and electric
2. Electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of 1.3 x 10exp-7 m would be classified as
a. infrared b. orange c. blue d. ultraviolet
3. Compared to the speed of microwaves in a vacuum, the speed of x-rays in a vacuum is
a. less b. greater c. the same
4. What is the speed of a radio wave in a vacuum?
a. 0 m/s b. 3.31 x 10exp3 m/s c. 1.13 x 10exp3 m/s d. 3.00 x 10exp8 m/s
5. What wavelength is in the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum?
a. 100 nm b. 100 mm c. 100 m d. 100mm
6. Radio waves and gamma rays traveling in space have the same
a. frequency b. wavelength c. period d. speed
7. Electrons oscillating with a frequency of 2.0 x 10exp10 Hz produce electromagnetic waves.
These waves would be classified as
a. infrared b. visible c. microwave d. x-ray
8. What happens to the frequency and the speed of an electromagnetic wave as it passes from
air into glass?
a. The frequency decreases and the speed increases.
b. The frequency increases and the speed decreases.
c. The frequency remains the same and the speed increases.
d. The frequency remains the same and the speed decreases.
9. A radar gun can determine the speed of a moving automobile by measuring the difference in
frequency between emitted and reflected radar waves. This process illustrates
a. resonance b. the Doppler Effect c. diffraction d. refraction
10. The energy of a sound wave is most closely related to its
a. period b. amplitude c. frequency d. wavelength
11. A person observes a fireworks display from a safe distance of 0.750 kilometer. Assuming that
sound travels at 340. meters per second in air, what is the time between the person seeing
and hearing a fireworks explosion?
a. 0.453 s b. 2.21 s c. 410. s d. 2.55 x 10exp5 s
12. The diagram below represents straight wave fronts passing from deep water into shallow
water with a change in speed and direction.
Which phenomenon is illustrated in the diagram?
a. reflection b. refraction c. diffraction d. interference
13. A 512-hertz sound wave travels 100. meters to an observer through air at STP. What is the
wavelength of this sound wave?
a. 0.195 m b. 0.646 m c. 1.55 m d. 5.12 m
14. Which diagram best represents the path taken by a ray of monochromatic light as it passes
from air through the materials shown?
15. What is the wavelength of a light ray with frequency 5.09 x 10exp14 hertz as it travels
a. 3.93 x 10exp-7 m b. 5.89 x 10exp-7 m c. 3.39 x 10exp14 m d. 7.64 x 10exp14 m
16. What happens to the speed and frequency of a light ray when is passes from air into water?
a. The speed decreases and the frequency increases.
b. The speed decreases and the frequency remains the same.
c. The speed increases and the frequency increases.
d. The speed increases and the frequency remains the same.
17. Which quantity is equivalent to the product of the absolute index of refraction of water and
the speed of light in water?
a. wavelength of light in a vacuum b. frequency of light in water
c. sine of the angle of incidence d. speed of light in a vacuum
18. Which color of light in the visible hydrogen spectrum has photons of the shortest
a. blue b. green c. red d. violet
19. A straight glass rod appears to bend when placed in a beaker of water, as shown in the
What is the best explanation for this phenomenon?
a. The water is warmer than the air.
b. Light travels faster in water than in air.
c. Light is reflected at the air-water interface.
d. Light is refracted as it crosses the air-water interface.
20. In a certain material, a beam of monochromatic light (f = 5.09 x 10exp14 hertz) has a speed
of 2.25 x 10exp8 m/s. The material could be
a. crown glass b. flint glass c. glycerol d. water
21. Orange light has a frequency of 5.0 x 10exp14 hertz in a vacuum. What is the wavelength
of this light?
a. 1.5 x 10exp23 m b. 1.7 x 10exp6 m c. 6.0 x 10exp-7 m d. 2.0 x 10exp-15 m
22. A girl on a swing may increase the amplitude of the swing's oscillations if she moves her legs
at the natural frequency of the swing. This is an example of
a. the Doppler Effect b. destructive interference c. wave transmission d. resonance
23. An earthquake wave is traveling from west to east through rock. If the particles of rock are
vibrating in a north-south direction, the wave must be classified as
a. transverse b. longitudinal c. a microwave d. a radio wave
24. 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?
25. If the amplitude of a wave traveling in a rope is doubled, the speed of the wave in the rope
a. decrease b. increase c. remain the same
26. Two waves having the same amplitude and frequency are traveling in the same medium.
Maximum destructive interference will occur when the phase difference between the waves is
a. 0 degrees b. 90 degrees c. 180 degrees d. 270 degrees
27. The diagram below represents a wave.
What is the speed of the wave if its frequency is 8.0 hertz?
a. 48 m/s b. 16 m/s c. 3.2 m/s d. 1.6 m/s
28. Which wave phenomenon occurs when vibrations in one object cause vibrations in a second
a. reflection b. resonance c. intensity d. tuning
29. The graph below represents the relationship between wavelength and frequency of waves
created by two students shaking the ends of a loose spring.
What is the speed of the wave?
a. 0.5 m/s b. 15 m/s c. 5.0 m/s d. 50. m/s
30. The energy of a water wave is most closely related to its