Wave Properties Quiz
Science 8
Use the diagrams of Boxes A, B and C to help you
answer questions #1-5.
BOX A
BOX B
BOX C
1. Which of the following boxes would represent a
substance in the liquid form?
A) Box A
B) Box B
C) Box C
2. Which state of matter would have the lowest
density?
A) Solid
B) Liquid
C) Gas
3. Which state of matter would have the greatest
density?
A) Solid
B) Liquid
C) Gas
4. Which state of matter has an indefinite shape
and definite volume?
A) Solid
B) Liquid
C) Gas
5. Which state of matter has a definite shape and
definite volume?
A) Solid
B) Liquid
C) Gas
6. A vibration through a material that carries
energy but not matter is observed as a _________.
A) Matter
B) Wave
C) Medium
7. The material that a wave travels through is often
referred to as the ______________.
A) Vibration
B) Wave
C) Medium
D) Energy
8. The general category of wave that requires a
medium to travel is called a __________________.
A) Longitudinal Wave
B) Transverse Wave
C) Mechanical Wave
D) Surface Wave
E) Electromagnetic Wave
Use the diagram of Wave D to help you answer
questions #9-11.
9. Wave D is classified as a _____________ wave.
A) Longitudinal
B) Transverse
C) Surface
10. Letter “F” represents the _______________ of
Wave D.
A) Compression
B) Rarefaction
C) Wavelength
D) Crest
E) Trough
11. Letter “H” represents the _______________ of
Wave D.
A) Compression
B) Rarefaction
C) Wavelength
D) Crest
E) Trough
Use the diagram of Wave E to help you answer
questions #12-16.
12. Wave E is classified as a _____________ wave.
A) Longitudinal Wave
B) Transverse Wave
C) Surface Wave
13. Letter “I” represents the _______________ of
Wave E.
A) Wavelength
B) Crest
C) Trough
D) Normal
E) Amplitude
14. Letter “J” represents the _______________ of
Wave E.
A) Wavelength
B) Crest
C) Trough
D) Normal
E) Amplitude
17. A wave that occurs at the boundary between
two mediums is called a ______________.
A) Longitudinal Wave
B) Transverse Wave
C) Mechanical Wave
D) Surface Wave
E) Electromagnetic Wave
18. A wave in which the energy moves
perpendicular to the direction of the particle
movement is a…
A) Longitudinal Wave.
B) Transverse Wave.
C) Mechanical Wave.
D) Surface Wave.
19. A wave in which the energy moves parallel to
the direction of the particle movement is a…
A) Longitudinal Wave.
B) Transverse Wave.
C) Mechanical Wave.
D) Surface Wave.
E) Electromagnetic Wave.
20. Describe the ways to find the amplitude of a
transverse wave: (*CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY)
A) Normal-to-crest
B) Normal-to-trough
C) Measure how compressed the medium is
D) Measure how rarefied the medium is
15. Letter “K” represents the _______________ of
Wave E.
A) Wavelength
B) Crest
C) Trough
D) Normal
E) Amplitude
21. Describe the ways to find the wavelength of a
transverse wave: (*CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY)
A) Crest-to-crest
B) Trough-to-trough
C) Normal-to-normal
D) Compression-to-compression
E) Rarefaction-to-rarefaction
16. Letter “L” represents the _______________ of
Wave E.
A) Wavelength
B) Crest
C) Trough
D) Normal
E) Amplitude
22. Describe the ways to find the wavelength of a
longitudinal wave: (*CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY)
A) Crest-to-crest
B) Trough-to-trough
C) Normal-to-normal
D) Compression-to-compression
E) Rarefaction-to-rarefaction
For questions #23-26, match the following
definition to its scientific term.
(*Each term will only be used once.)
Use the diagrams of Wave N and Wave O to help
you answer questions #30-31.
WAVE N:
A) Amplitude
B) Wavelength
C) Frequency
D) Speed
23. The length of a single wave.
24. The amount of energy carried by the wave.
25. The number of complete waves that pass a
given point in 1 second.
26. A measure of how quickly a wave travels
through a medium; determined by measuring the
distance the wave travels in a given unit of time.
Use the following scenario to help you answer
questions #27-29.
A pebble is dropped into a pond, creating a wave
across the surface of the water.
WAVE O:
30. Which wave has a higher frequency?
A) Wave N
B) Wave O
C) The waves have the same frequency.
31. Which wave has the shorter wavelength?
A) Wave N
B) Wave O
C) The waves have the same wavelength.
Use the diagrams of Wave P and Wave Q to help
you answer questions #32-33.
WAVE P
27. What is the source of energy for the wave?
A) The wind blowing across the water.
B) An earthquake in the ground.
C) The pebble hitting the water.
WAVE Q
28. In which direction does the wave move?
A) Outward in all directions from the
source.
B) Outward in one direction, away from the
source.
C) Outward in the direction that the source
was strongest.
D) Outward or inward, depending on the
medium the wave travels through.
29. What happens to the energy carried by the
wave over time?
A) The energy increases as it moves away
from the source.
B) The energy decreases as it moves away
from the source.
C) The energy remains constant as it moves
away from the source.
32. Which wave has the higher amplitude?
A) Wave P
B) Wave Q
C) The waves have the same amplitude.
33. Which wave has the longer wavelength?
A) Wave P
B) Wave Q
C) The waves have the same wavelength.
34. A wave has a wavelength of 2 m, and a
frequency of 400 Hz. What is the speed at which
the wave travels?
A) 0.005 m/s
B) 200 m/s
C) 402 m/s
D) 800 m/s
35. A person strikes a tuning fork with a frequency
of 250 Hz. The resulting wave has a wavelength of
4 m. What is the speed of the wave?
A) 0.016 m/s
B) 62.5 m/s
C) 254 m/s
D) 1000 m/s
Extra Credit Question:
36. A science fiction film shows an explosion in
deep space, narrowly missing a spaceship full of
astronauts. The blast does not touch the spaceship,
but can still be heard by the space travelers on
board the spaceship. Is this movie scientifically
TRUE or FALSE? 
A) True
B) False