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Waves

Physics · 50 practice questions

Production and propagation — wave motion, vibrating systems as sources, waves as energy transfer, relationship between frequency, wavelength and velocity (v = fλ), phase difference, progressive wave equation; classification — mechanical/electromagnetic, longitudinal/transverse, stationary/progressive waves; characteristics — reflection, refraction, diffraction, plane polarization, superposition/interference, beats, Doppler effect.

  • Interpret wave motion and identify vibrating systems as sources of waves.
  • Relate frequency and wavelength to wave velocity and use the progressive wave equation.
  • Differentiate between mechanical/electromagnetic and longitudinal/transverse waves.
  • Differentiate between reflection, refraction, diffraction and polarization, and analyse superposition, beats and the Doppler effect.

Try a few questions

  1. Practice question 1

    Diffraction patterns become more pronounced as the ratio of wavelength to gap (or obstacle) size

    • A.decreases
    • B.remains completely unchanged, regardless of this ratio
    • C.approaches exactly zero
    • D.increases
    Show the answer

    D. increases

    As wavelength becomes larger relative to the gap or obstacle, diffraction effects become increasingly noticeable.

  2. Practice question 2

    Constructive interference occurs when two waves arrive at a point

    • A.completely out of phase, cancelling each other out
    • B.travelling in exactly opposite directions, with no phase relationship considered
    • C.in phase, reinforcing each other to produce a larger resultant amplitude
    • D.with completely different frequencies, regardless of their phase relationship
    Show the answer

    C. in phase, reinforcing each other to produce a larger resultant amplitude

    Waves arriving in phase add together constructively, producing a resultant amplitude larger than either individual wave.

  3. Practice question 3

    A wave has a period of 0.02 seconds. Its frequency is

    • A.0.02 Hz
    • B.20 Hz
    • C.50 Hz
    • D.2 Hz
    Show the answer

    C. 50 Hz

    Frequency = 1 ÷ period = 1 ÷ 0.02 = 50 Hz.

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