Name: ____________________________________
1. When a ray of light traveling in water reaches a boundary
with air, part of the light ray is reflected and part is refracted.
Which ray diagram best represents the paths of the reflected
and refracted light rays?
3. A beam of light has a wavelength of 4.5 × 10−7 meter in a
vacuum. The frequency of this light is
1. 1.5 × 10−15 Hz
2. 4.5 × 10−7 Hz
3. 1.4 × 102 Hz
4. 6.7 × 1014 Hz
1. 3. 4. An electromagnetic wave is produced by charged particles
vibrating at a rate of 3.9 × 108 vibrations per second. The
electromagnetic wave is classified as
1. a radio wave
3. an x ray
2. an infrared wave 4. visible light
2. 4. 2. Which graph best represents the relationship between the
absolute index of refraction and the speed of light (f = 5.09 ×
5. A ray of light ( f = 5.09 × 1014 Hz) travels through various
substances. Which graph best represents the relationship
between the absolute index of refraction of these substances
and the corresponding speed of light in these substances?
1. 3. 2. 4. 1014 Hz) in various media?
1. 2. 3. 4. Figure 1
Base your answer to the question on the information below.
A ray of monochromatic light ( f = 5.09 × 1014 Hz) passes through air and a rectangular transparent block, as shown in the diagram below.
6. [Refer to figure 1]
Using a protractor, determine the angle of incidence of the light
ray as it enters the transparent block from air.
1. 23° 3. 62°
2. 41° 4. 35°
7. A wave generator having a constant frequency produces
parallel wave fronts in a tank of water of two different depths.
The diagram below represents the wave fronts in the deep water.
As the wave travels from the deep water into the shallow water,
the speed of the waves decreases. How would the lines
representing the wave fronts drawn in the shallow water
appear?
1. 2. 3. 4. the same as in the deep water
father apart than in the deep water
closer together than in the deep water
some lines closer and some farther apart
8. The diagram below represents a view from above of a tank of
water in which parallel wave fronts are traveling toward a
barrier.
10. A ray of monochromatic yellow light (f = 5.09 × 1014 Hz)
passes from water through flint glass and into medium X, as
shown below.
Which arrow represents the direction of travel for the wave
fronts after being reflected from the barrier?
The absolute index of refraction of medium X is
1. less than 1.33
2. greater than 1.33 and less than 1.52
3. greater than 1.52 and less than 1.66
4. equal to 1.66
1. A 3. C
2. B 4. D
9. The diagram below represents a light ray reflecting from a
plane mirror.
11. Which phenomenon provides evidence that light has a
wave nature?
1. emission of light from an energy-level transition in a
hydrogen atom
2. diffraction of light passing through a narrow opening
3. absorption of light by a black sheet of paper
4. reflection of light from a mirror
12. The diagram below represents a light ray striking the
boundary between air and glass.
The angle of reflection for the light ray is
1. 25° 3. 50°
2. 35° 4. 65°
What is the angle between this light ray and its reflected ray?
1. 30.° 3. 120.°
2. 60.° 4. 150.°
13. A beam of monochromatic light has a wavelength of 5.89 ×
10−7 meter in air. Calculate the wavelength of this light in
diamond.
1. λ 2 = .243 × 10−7 m
2. λ 2 = 2.43 × 10−9 m
3. λ 2 = 2.43 × 10−7 m
4. λ 2 = 24.3 × 10−7 m
14. A ray of light ( f = 5.09 × 1014 Hz) traveling in air is incident
at an angle of 40.° on an air-crown glass interface as shown
below.
What is the angle of refraction for this light ray?
1. 25° 3. 40°
2. 37° 4. 78°
15. Compared to the speed of a sound wave in air, the speed of
a radio wave in air is
1. less
2. greater
3. the same
Figure 2
Base your answer to this question on the information and diagram below.
A ray of monochromatic light having a frequency of 5.09 × 1014 hertz is incident on an interface of air and corn oil at an angle of 35° as shown.
The ray is transmitted through parallel layers of corn oil and glycerol and is then reflected from the surface of a plane mirror, located below and
parallel to the glycerol layer. The ray then emerges from the corn oil back into the air at point P.
16. [Refer to figure 2]
Why does the ray not bend at the corn oil-glycerol interface?
1. The light does not bend because light travels at the same speed in both layers.
2. The light does not bend because light travels at a slower speed in both layers.
3. The light does not bend because light travels at a faster speed in both layers.
4. The light does not bend because the absolute indices of refraction are very different in both layers.
17. When a light wave enters a new medium and is refracted, there must be a change in the light wave’s
1. color
3. period
2. frequency 4. speed
Figure 3
Base your answer to the question on the information and diagram below.
Two plane mirrors are positioned perpendicular to each other as shown. A ray of monochromatic red light is incident on mirror 1 at an
angle of 55°. This ray is reflected from mirror 1 and then strikes mirror 2.
18. [Refer to figure 3]
Which diagram correctly illustrates the ray of light as it is reflected from mirror 2?
1. 3. 2. 4. 19. Which diagram best represents the behavior of a ray of
monochromatic light in air incident on a block of crown glass?
25. What is the wavelength of a light ray with frequency 5.09
×1014 hertz as it travels through Lucite?
1. 3.93 × 10-7 m
2. 5.89 × 10-7 m
1. 3. 3. 3.39 × 1014 m
4. 7.64 × 1014 m
4. 2. 20. The speed of a ray of light traveling through a substance
having an absolute index of refraction of 1.1 is
1. 1.1 × 108 m/s
2. 2.7 × 108 m/s
3. 3.0 × 108 m/s
4. 3.3 × 108 m/s
26. What happens to the speed and frequency of a light ray
when it passes from air into water?
1. The speed decreases and the frequency increases.
2. The speed decreases and the frequency remains the
same.
3. The speed increases and the frequency increases.
4. The speed increases and the frequency remains the
same.
27. What is the speed of a radio wave in a vacuum?
1. 0 m/s
2. 3.31 × 102 m/s
3. 1.13 × 103 m/s
4. 3.00 × 108 m/s
21. An electromagnetic wave traveling through a vacuum has
a wavelength of 1.5 × 10-1 meter. What is the period of this
electromagnetic wave?
28. A beam of monochromatic light approaches a barrier having
four openings, A, B, C, and D, of different sizes as shown below.
1. 5.0 × 10-10 s
2. 1.5 × 10-1 s
3. 4.5 × 107 s
4. 2.0 × 109 s
22. A periodic wave having a frequency of 5.0 hertz and a
speed of 10. meters per second has a wavelength of
1. 0.50 m 3. 5.0 m
2. 2.0 m 4. 50. m
23. Light demonstrates the characteristics of
1. particles, only
2. waves, only
3. both particles and waves
4. neither particles nor waves
24. Two waves having the same frequency and amplitude are
traveling in the same medium. Maximum constructive
interference occurs at points where the phase difference
between the two superposed waves is
1. 0° 3. 180°
2. 90° 4. 270°
Which opening will cause the greatest diffraction?
1. A 3. C
2. B 4. D
29. A microwave and an x ray are traveling in a vacuum.
Compared to the wavelength and period of the microwave, the x
ray has a wavelength that is
1. longer and a period that is shorter
2. longer and a period that is longer
3. shorter and a period that is longer
4. shorter and a period that is shorter
31. Which diagram best represents the path taken by a ray of
monochromatic light as it passes from air through the materials
shown?
1. 3. 2. 4. 30. A straight glass rod appears to bend when placed in a
beaker of water, as shown in the diagram below.
What is the best explanation for this phenomenon?
1. 2. 3. 4. The water is warmer than the air.
Light travels faster in water than in air.
Light is reflected at the air-water interface.
Light is refracted as it crosses the air-water interface.
Figure 4
Base your answer to the question on the diagram below, which represents a ray of monochromatic light (f = 5.09 ×1014 hertz) in air incident on
flint glass.
32. [Refer to figure 4]
What happens to the light from the incident ray that is not
refracted or absorbed?
1. It is reflected and converted to mechanical energy.
2. It is reflected, absorbed and some energy is lost.
3. It is all destroyed.
4. It is slowed down, dissolved and reflected.
Figure 5
Base your answer to the question on the diagram below, which represents a ray of monochromatic light (f = 5.09 ×1014 hertz) in air incident on
flint glass.
33. [Refer to figure 5]
Which line correctly shows the refracted ray on the diagram?
1. Line 1
2. Line 2
3. Line 3
34. If the speed of a wave doubles as it passes from shallow
water into deeper water, its wavelength will be
1. unchanged 3. halved
2. doubled 4. quadrupled
35. The diagram shows a ray of light passing from air into glass
at an angle of incidence of 0°.
Which statement best describes the speed and direction of the
light ray as it passes into the glass?
1. 2. 3. 4. Only speed changes.
Only direction changes.
Both speed and direction change.
Neither speed nor direction changes.
Figure 6
Base your answer to the question on the information and diagram.
A light ray with a frequency of 5.09 × 1014 hertz traveling in air is incident at an angle of 40.° on an air-water interface as shown. At the
interface, part of the ray is refracted as it enters the water and part of the ray is reflected from the interface.
36. [Refer to figure 6]
Which of the following diagrams correctly shows the reflected
ray and the refracted ray?
1. 37. Which wave diagram has both wavelength (λ) and
amplitude (A) labeled correctly?
1. 3. 2. 4. 3. 38. A single vibratory disturbance moving through a medium is
called
1. a node
3. a standing wave
2. an antinode 4. a pulse
2. 4. 39. The diagram below represents a ray of monochromatic light
(f = 5.09 × 1014 Hz) passing from medium X (n = 1.46) into fused
quartz.
Which path will the ray follow in the quartz?
1. A 3. C
2. B 4. D
Figure 7
Base your answer on the diagram below, which represents a light ray traveling from air to Lucite to medium Y and back into air.
40. [Refer to figure 7]
Light travels slowest in
1. air, only
3. medium
2. Lucite, only 4. air, Lucite, and medium
43. A beam of monochromatic light (f = 5.09 × 1014 hertz) passes
through parallel sections of glycerol, medium X, and medium Y
as shown in the diagram below.
41. [Refer to figure 7]
The sine of angle θx is
1. 0.333 3. 0.707
2. 0.500 4. 0.886
42. The diagram below shows a standing wave.
Point A on the standing wave is
1. 2. 3. 4. a node resulting from constructive interference
a node resulting from destructive interference
an antinode resulting from constructive interference
an antinode resulting from destructive interference
What could medium X and medium Y be?
1. 2. 3. 4. X could be flint glass and Y could be corn oil.
X could be corn oil and Y could be flint glass.
X could be water and Y could be glycerol.
X could be glycerol and Y could be water.
44. Which diagram below best represents the phenomenon of
diffraction?
1. 2. 3. 1. 3. 2. 4. 4. 45. Which diagram best represents the path of light rays
passing through a glass prism?
1. 3. 2. 4. 46. Which diagram best illustrates wave diffraction?
3. 1. 4. 2. 47. A ray of monochromatic light traveling in air enters a
rectangular glass block obliquely and strikes a plane mirror at
the bottom. Then the ray travels back through the glass and
strikes the air-glass interface. Which diagram best represents
the path of this light ray? [N represents the normal to the
surface.]
Figure 8
The diagram represents waves A, B, C, and D traveling in the same medium. 48. [Refer to figure 8]
Which wave has the longest period?
1. A 3. C
2. B 4. D
49. [Refer to figure 8]
Which two waves have the same wavelength?
1. A and B 3. B and D
2. A and C 4. C and D
50. A ray of monochromatic light (λ = 5.9 × 10−7 meter) traveling
in air is incident on an interface with a liquid at an angle of 45°,
as shown in the diagram below.
If the absolute index of refraction of the liquid is 1.4, the angle
of refraction for the light ray is closest to
1. 10.° 3. 30.°
2. 20.° 4. 40.°
51. What is characteristic of both sound waves and
electromagnetic waves?
1. They require a medium.
2. They transfer energy.
3. They are mechanical waves.
4. They are longitudinal waves.