Waves Unit Test Review: Waves, Sound, Light, and Color
Waves Power Standard: Students will explore the wave nature of sound and electromagnetic radiation.
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Identify the characteristics of electromagnetic and mechanical waves.
Describe how the behavior of light waves is manipulated causing reflection, refraction, diffraction, and absorption.
Explain how the human eye sees objects and colors in terms of wavelengths.
Describe how the behavior of waves is affected by medium (such as air, water, and solids)
Relate the properties of sound to everyday experiences.
Diagram the parts of a wave and explain how the parts are affected by changes in amplitude and pitch.
Make sure you can answer (and be ROCK SOLID) on the questions listed below…
1. Define a wave. A wave is any disturbance that that transmits energy through matter or empty space.
2. List the 4 ways we categorize waves. Waves are categorized as transverse (a wave in which particles of the medium
move perpendicularly to the direction the wave is traveling), longitudinal wave (a wave in which the particles of the
medium vibrate parallel to the direction of wave motion), sound waves ( example of a longitudinal wave), and
mechanical waves (sound and seismic)
3. What do all waves carry? Energy
What can waves in a medium physical environment in which phenomena occur carry? Vibrations of particles which is
energy being transmitted through the medium.
4. Differentiate between the two types of interference.
 Constructive interference – crests or troughs overlap…energy is combined…new wave has higher crests and
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deeper troughs – larger amplitude.
Destructive interference – crest from one & trough from another overlap…smaller amplitude – possibly
destroy wave.
5. Draw AND Label ALL the parts of a transverse wave.
6. State 3 characteristics of transverse waves.
 Particles vibrate in an up and down motion
 Moves perpendicular to the direction the wave is going
 Have crest – high point, troughs – low points
7. What is frequency? How is it measured? HIGH frequency = , while LOW frequency =
Frequency – number of waves produced in a given amount of time
o Calculated by dividing wave speed by wavelength, measured in Hertz (Hz)
o Higher frequency = more energy
o
Lower frequency = less energy
Wavelength – distance from crest to crest or trough to trough, measured the same in both types of waves.
 Wavelength can be calculated by multiplying wave speed times frequency; measured in meters
 More energy = shorter wavelength
 Less energy = longer wavelength
********As frequency increases, wavelength decreases – they are inversely proportionate
8. What is amplitude? How does intensity relate to amplitude?
Amplitude – height of a wave from a rest position - can be measured from rest position to the top of the crest or rest
position to bottom of trough
9. Draw AND Label ALL the parts of a longitudinal wave.
10. State 3 characteristics of a longitudinal wave.
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The motion of the medium is parallel to the motion of the wave
Back and Forth Waves
They are made up of compressions and rarefactions
11. How does the speed of sound vary in traveling through solids, liquids, and gases?
Travels more quickly through solids than liquids or gases – these are called mediums.
12. How does temperature play a part in how longitudinal waves travel?
Longitudinal waves travel faster in warmer temperatures. Particles of cool materials move more slowly and
transmit energy more slowly than particles do in warmer materials.
13. Draw an example of reflection, refraction, diffraction, and absorption.
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Reflection
Refraction
 Diffraction
Absorption
14. How does sound travel?
As one individual particle is disturbed, it transmits the disturbance to the next interconnected particle.
This disturbance continues to be passed on to the next particle.
The result is that energy is transported without the actual transport of matter.
Move in all different directions
15. What do frequency and pitch have in common?
The frequency of a sound wave determines the pitch.
Pitch is the highness or lowness of a sound.
16. What does high and low frequency indicate in relation to pitch?
The higher the frequency…the higher the pitch.
17. How are amplitude and loudness related?
Depends on the amplitude. Larger A means more pressure.
Remember: A is measure of the amount of energy in the wave.
Sound level is measured in Decibels
18. What is the Doppler Effect? Give an example.
Variation in the perceived pitch of a sound due to a moving sound source.
“bunches up “ in front of the source
Spreads out behind the source
19. What is loudness? What unit do we use to measure loudness?
Loudness is the amplitude of sound and is measured in decibels.
20. What is an echo?
 A reflected sound wave is called an echo
 The harder and smoother the surface, the stronger the reflection
21. What is resonance? Give an example.
A phenomenon that occurs when two objects naturally vibrate at the same frequency; the sund produced by one
object causes the others object to vibrate.
The shattering of crystal glasses when hit by a musical frequency of the right pitch (its resonance frequency).
22. At what average speed can sound travel through air?
The speed of sound is 340.29 m/s at sea level or 761.207051 mph. The speed of sound can be changed or
manipulated based on the medium it travels through.
23. Does sound travel faster through warmer or cooler temperatures?
Sound travels faster in warmer temperatures.
24. Explain how the electromagnetic spectrum is organized? Which waves have the longest wavelength? Which waves
have the shortest wavelength?
From longest wavelength – smallest frequency (Radio) to Shortest wavelength – largest frequency (Gamma)
25. How does frequency play a role in the organization of the electromagnetic spectrum?
The spectrum is organized from smallest frequency to largest frequency
26. What do electromagnetic waves carry? Energy
27. What categories of waves describe light?
28. What is the Law of Reflection? Draw an example.
29. How fast can light travel?
Light travels VERY FAST – around 300,000 kilometres per second or 186,000 miles per second.
30. Why can we see objects? Light hits the object – object reflects
31. What are the three primary colors of LIGHT? When combined in equal parts, what do they create?
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What are the three primary colors of PIGMENTS? When combined in equal parts, what do they create?
Why can we see the color white? All colors are reflected.
Why can we see the color black? All colors are absorbed.
Why is an apple red or a banana yellow? Red apples are red because red is reflected while all other colors are
absorbed. Bananas are yellow because yellow is reflected while all others are absorbed. What happens when we
shine a different color of light on these objects? If it is the only color shone on each of colored item and it is not the
same color as the item, it will be black.
36. In regard to the visible light spectrum. Which color has the longest wavelength and lowest frequency? Red Which
color has the shortest wavelength and highest frequency? Indigo
37. Complete the table. How are the terms related? Think of this as a “Punnett Square.”
Energy
Sound
Draw an Example
Light
Draw an Example
Reflection
Refraction
Diffraction
Absorption
Scattering
38. Complete the table. Given the three types of objects. How does each interaction react with light?
Type of Object
Transparent
Reflection
Transmission
Scattering
Absorption
Draw an Example
Translucent
Draw and Example
Opaque
Draw an Example
39. What is a plane mirror? What kind of reflection does it produce?
Flat Surface Light is reflected straight back, resulting in an upright image that is the same size as the original object.
40. Draw AND Label an example of a concave and convex mirror.
Concave
Convex
41. What do concave and convex mirrors do?
Concave - Curves Inward (like the inside of a bowl)
If an object is very close to the mirror, light is reflected in a way that an enlarged, upright image is produced.
If the object is very far away, the image is reduced in size and upside down.
Convex - Curves Outward
Results in an image your eyes detect as upright and reduced in size.
The side mirrors on cars are convex mirrors. (Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.)
42. What do concave and convex lenses do?
A lens forms an image by REFRACTING light rays that pass through it.
The type of image formed by a lens depends on the shape of the lens and the position of the object.
A concave lens is thinner in the middle than at the edges and causes light rays to spread apart (divergence)
A convex lens or magnifying glass is thicker in the middle then on the ends which causes the light rays focus
(converge)
43. Draw AND Label an example of a concave and convex lens.
44. What type of lenses would be used to correct nearsightedness?
Near Sightedness – Concave lenses expand focal length
What type of lenses would be uses to correct farsightedness?
Far Sightedness – Convex lense shortens the focal length.