Waves, Light and Sound Unit Test
Accelerated Science 8 – Version A
Multiple Choice
Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or
answers the question.
Use the following diagrams to answer questions #1-2 below:
1. Which of the following diagrams illustrates the particle arrangement of
a block of wood?
a. Diagram 1
b. Diagram 2
c. Diagram 3
d. None of the above.
2. Which of the following diagrams illustrates the particle arrangement of
oxygen?
a. Diagram 1
b. Diagram 2
c. Diagram 3
d. None of the above.
3. Which of the following is an example of a gas at room temperature?
a. Jell-o
b. Apple juice
c. Carbon dioxide
d. Popcorn
Waves, Light and Sound Unit Test
Accelerated Science 8 – Version A
4. An object was found inside a clear, round container. It sat at the
bottom of the container and remained there when the lid was removed.
When it was transferred to a square container, it reformed to fit the
bottom of the new container. What state of matter is the object in, and
how can you defend your reasoning?
a. It is a solid because it remained inside the container when the
lid was removed and took the shape of the square container.
b. It is a gas because it remained inside the container when the lid
was removed and took the shape of the square container.
c. It is a liquid because it remained inside the container when the
lid was removed and took the shape of the square container.
d. It was originally a liquid because it remained inside the
container when the lid was removed and then became a gas
because the square container was larger.
5. Which of the following describes your lab desk?
a. It has a definite volume and shape.
b. It has a definite volume, but indefinite shape.
c. It has indefinite volume and shape.
d. It has indefinite volume, but definite shape.
6. Students were using a ruler to determine the volume of an object.
What state of matter was the object in, and how do you know?
a. The object is solid because it has a fixed shape that can be
measured.
b. The object is liquid because it has a fixed shape that can be
measured.
c. The object is solid because it does not have a fixed shape.
d. The object is liquid because it does not have a fixed shape.
7. As a wave travels between two points in a medium, it transfers
a. energy only.
b. matter only.
c. both energy and matter.
d. neither energy nor matter.
Page 1
Use the diagram below to help you answer questions #8-10:
8. Which interval represents one full wavelength?
a. Point A to Point C
b. Point B to Point D
c. Point A to Point G
d. Point C to Point G
9. Point D represents the ________________ of a transverse wave.
a. trough
b. crest
c. amplitude
d. normal
10. The highest parts of a transverse wave are called
a. troughs.
b. crests.
c. amplitudes.
d. wavelengths.
11. The _______________ of a wave is a direct measure of its energy.
a. wavelength
b. normal
c. medium
d. amplitude
12. The frequency of a wave represents the
a. wave amplitude divided by the period of the wave.
b. wave crest in relationship to the wave trough.
c. number of waves that pass a certain point in a given time.
d. loudness of the sound.
13. As the wavelength of a wave gets longer, the frequency
a. increases.
b. decreases.
c. stays the same.
d. is not related.
Waves, Light and Sound Unit Test
Accelerated Science 8 – Version A
14. The frequency of a wave is measured in units called ____________.
a. amps
b. Hertz
c. decibels
d. volts
15. _____________ move the particles of the medium parallel to the
direction of the energy transport.
a. Longitudinal waves
b. Transverse waves
c. Surface waves
d. Combination waves
16. _____________ move the particles of the medium perpendicular to the
direction of the energy transport.
a. Surface waves
b. Longitudinal waves
c. Combination waves
d. Transverse waves
17. Identify the wave with the lowest frequency.
a.
b.
c.
d.
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18. In a longitudinal wave moving along a slinky, the areas where the coils
are farthest apart are called
a. compressions.
b. rarefactions.
c. wavelengths.
d. frequencies.
Use the following diagram to help you answer questions #19-21:
19. Identify the wave with the highest frequency.
a. Wave A
b. Wave B
c. Wave C
d. Wave D
20. Identify the wave with a relatively high frequency and low amplitude.
a. Wave A
b. Wave B
c. Wave C
d. Wave D
21. Identify the wave that would be created by an elephant communicating
through infrasound.
a. Wave A
b. Wave B
c. Wave C
d. Wave D
Waves, Light and Sound Unit Test
Accelerated Science 8 – Version A
22. The material through which a wave travels is called the
_______________.
a. crest
b. trough
c. medium
d. surface wave
23. A sound wave is a mechanical wave. This means that ______________.
a. particles of the medium move perpendicular to the direction of
energy transport.
b. a sound wave transports its energy through a vacuum.
c. particles of the medium regularly and repeatedly vibrate around
their resting position.
d. a medium is required in order for sound waves to transport
energy.
24. An echo is a(n) ________________ sound wave.
a. transverse
b. refracted
c. reflected
d. absorbed
25. Which of the following would be an example of a longitudinal wave?
a. Light traveling through space.
b. A wave traveling in the ocean.
c. Fans doing the wave in a sports stadium.
d. A noisy restaurant.
26. When a wave hits a surface and bounces back, it undergoes
a. reflection.
b. refraction.
c. diffraction.
d. interference.
Page 3
Use the table below to answer questions #27-31:
Speed of Sound Through a Medium
Medium
Speed (m/s)
Air (0°C)
331
Air (20°C)
343
Gases
Liquids (30°C)
Fresh water
1,509
Salt water
1,546
Solids (25°C)
Lead
1,210
Plastic
1,800
Copper
3,100
Gold
3,240
Hardwood
4,000
Cast iron
4,480
Glass
5,170
Steel
5,200
27. In which medium do sound waves travel the slowest?
a. Lead
b. Air at 0° C
c. Steel
d. Fresh water
28. What is the speed of sound through glass at 25°?
a. 3,650 m/s
b. 2,680 m/s
c. 5,170 m/s
d. 4,480 m/s
Waves, Light and Sound Unit Test
Accelerated Science 8 – Version A
29. Which of the following reasons explains the difference in sound speed
between salt water than fresh water?
a. The salt water is hotter than fresh water.
b. Salt water and fresh water exist in different states of matter.
c. Fresh water is less dense than salt water.
d. Fresh water has greater elasticity than salt water.
30. How does the speed of SOUND in water compare to its speed in air?
a. The speed is slower because the molecules in water are closer
to each other.
b. The speed is the same because it is constant in all mediums.
c. The speed cannot be compared without knowing the
temperature.
d. The speed is faster because the molecules in water are closer to
each other.
31. As air temperature _____________, the speed of a sound wave
__________________.
a. Decreases; Increases.
b. Increases; Decreases.
c. Decreases; Decreases.
d. The temperature of the air does not affect the speed of the
sound wave.
32. Identify the medium that would allow a sound wave to travel FASTEST
through it.
a. A cold tank of oxygen gas.
b. A loose rubber band.
c. A glass of cold milk.
d. A hot steel bar.
33. Why do you see a baseball flying through the air before you hear the
crack of the bat hitting it?
a. The sound is made as the ball flies through the air.
b. Your eyes react faster than your ears.
c. Light travels faster than sound.
d. Sound travels faster than light.
Page 4
The diagram below shows sound waves traveling away from a vibrating
bell. Use the diagram below to answer question #34:
34. Which of the following factors would impact the speed of the waves?
a. The direction of the wave as it vibrates away from the bell.
b. How hard the bell was struck to initiate the vibrations.
c. Temperature and medium through which the sound is traveling.
d. Whether the bell was made of steel or some other type of
material.
35. The ability of a material’s atoms to bounce back after being disturbed is
called its ___________.
a. density
b. elasticity
c. intensity
d. frequency
36. The pitch of a sound that you hear is generated by the wave’s
a. loudness.
b. frequency.
c. intensity.
d. speed.
37. The ___________ measures the intensity or loudness of a sound wave.
a. decibel.
b. Hertz.
c. meters per second.
d. watts per square meter.
Waves, Light and Sound Unit Test
Accelerated Science 8 – Version A
38. What term refers to how high or low a note is that a listener hears?
a. Volume
b. Energy
c. Amplitude
d. Pitch
39. Which of the following materials is the most elastic?
a. Steel
b. Wood
c. Water
d. Rubber
40. The human voice is the result of
a. lungs pulling the air through the nose.
b. vibrations in the vocal chords.
c. the placement of the teeth in the mouth.
d. moist air exiting the lungs.
41. What happens when sound waves strike the ear drum?
a. Sound waves are absorbed by the eardrum.
b. Sound waves cause the eardrum to vibrate.
c. The walls of the outer ear change shape.
d. The cochlea funnels the sound waves into the ear canal.
42. Which part of your body is responsible for interpreting the sound waves
that you hear?
a. The outer ear
b. The cochlea
c. The ear drum
d. The brain
43. The most common type of hearing loss in teenagers and young adults is
due to
a. injury.
b. infection or disease.
c. loud noise or music.
d. aging.
44. What do bats and dolphins use to locate their food and navigate?
a. Their sight
b. Echolocation
c. Infrasound
d. Acoustics
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45. Sound waves with frequencies beyond 20,000 Hz are called
a. ultrasound.
b. infrasound.
c. sonar.
d. echolocation.
46. Sound waves with frequencies below the normal human range of
hearing are called
a. ultrasound.
b. infrasound.
c. resonance.
d. decibels.
47. How does increasing the tension (tightening) of a drum head affect the
frequency of the resulting sound wave?
a. decreases.
b. increases.
c. stays the same.
d. the tension does not change the pitch.
48. Two ways to change the pitch of a drum are by
a. (1) striking the drum harder or softer, or (2) by changing the size
of the drum body.
b. (1) changing the material the drumhead is made of, or (2) by
striking the drum harder or softer.
c. (1) changing the size of the drum body, or (2) by changing the
tightness of the drumhead.
d. (1) changing the tightness of the drumhead, or (2) by striking
the instrument harder or softer.
49. Lengthening the air column in a brass or woodwind instrument will
cause the pitch to
a. get higher.
b. get lower.
c. stay the same.
d. get louder.
50. Which of the following would make a high pitch in a strings instrument?
a. Plucking a long string.
b. Plucking a thin string.
c. Plucking the string harder.
d. Plucking loose string.
Waves, Light and Sound Unit Test
Accelerated Science 8 – Version A
51. Which of the following statements is correct about the Doppler Effect?
a. The effect is observed as waves bend around solid objects.
b. It occurs as waves enter a new medium, such as going from
water into air.
c. It is observed as a change in pitch when either the sound source
or the listener is in motion.
d. It is the change in speed of a wave as the sound waves enter a
medium and are reflected back.
52. The reason that a police car’s siren sounds HIGHER in pitch as it
approaches you, is because the truck pushes the sound waves together
so that the sound wavelengths in front of the truck gets shorter. This
causes the
a. frequency to increases, which increases the pitch.
b. velocity to decrease which increases the frequency.
c. frequency to decrease which decreases the pitch.
d. wavelengths to get longer, which increases the pitch.
53. Which material would cause the light to behave as shown in the
diagram below?
a. Glass
b. Tissue paper
c. Aluminum foil
d. Clear plastic wrap
54. Frosted glass and wax paper are examples of _____________ materials.
a. transparent
b. translucent
c. clear
d. opaque
Page 6
55. Clear glass, water and air are examples of what kind of material?
a. Opaque
b. Mirrors
c. Translucent
d. Transparent
56. The figure below represents how light can travel. This diagram best
represents:
a. reflection.
b. refraction.
c. absorption.
d. diffusion.
57. What happens when light hits a rough, bumpy surface like sand?
a. Diffuse reflection
b. Diffraction
c. Refraction
d. Regular reflection
58. What happens when light hits a smooth surface such as a mirror?
a. Regular reflection
b. Diffuse reflection
c. Refraction
d. Diffraction
59. Through which medium does a light wave travel the fastest?
a. Solid
b. Liquid
c. Gas
d. The medium does not affect the speed of the wave.
Waves, Light and Sound Unit Test
Accelerated Science 8 – Version A
The diagram below represents how light travels according to the Law of
Reflection. Use this diagram to help you answer questions #60-63:
60. The Law of Reflection states that the Angle of Incidence will always be
a. greater than the Angle of Reflection.
b. smaller than the Angle of Reflection.
c. equal to the Angle of Reflection.
d. unknown. There is no relationship between these angles.
61. What does letter “B” represent?
a. Incident ray
b. Reflected ray
c. Plane Mirror
d. Normal
62. What does letter “F” represent?
a. The Angle of Reflection
b. The Angle of Incidence
c. Reflected ray
d. Incident ray
63. A laser beam is pointing at a mirror with an Angle of Incidence
measuring 35°. What is the Angle of Reflection?
a. 35°
b. 53°
c. 55°
d. The angle cannot be measured.
Page 7
The diagram below illustrates the electromagnetic spectrum. Use this
diagram to answer questions #64-73:
64. Which type of electromagnetic wave has the longest wavelength?
a. Visible light
b. Radio waves
c. Ultraviolet rays
d. Gamma rays
65. The electromagnetic waves with the highest frequencies and the
shortest wavelength are called
a. radio waves.
b. gamma rays.
c. X-rays.
d. visible light.
66. Electromagnetic waves can transfer energy without a(n)
a. medium.
b. electric current.
c. magnetic field.
d. source.
67. In a vacuum, all electromagnetic waves have the same
a. wavelength.
b. frequency.
c. speed.
d. amplitude.
68. What part of the electromagnetic spectrum can be seen by humans?
a. Visible light
b. Microwaves
c. Ultraviolet rays
d. Infrared rays
Waves, Light and Sound Unit Test
Accelerated Science 8 – Version A
69. The electromagnetic spectrum is made up of bands of waves with
different
a. speeds.
b. frequencies.
c. reflections.
d. mediums.
70. Visible light has a higher frequency than
a. X-rays.
b. ultraviolet rays.
c. infrared rays.
d. gamma rays.
71. What kinds of waves do cellular telephones use to transmit and receive
signals?
a. Gamma rays
b. Radio waves
c. Ultraviolet rays
d. Visible light
72. The ____________ rays in sunlight can cause sunburn.
a. microwave
b. radio waves
c. ultraviolet
d. visible light
73. What is the only portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible
to the naked eye?
a. Infrared rays
b. Ultraviolet rays
c. Microwaves
d. Visible light
(Continued on the next page     )
Page 8
Use the image below to answer question #74-75:
74. When a pencil is placed in a glass of water, the pencil appears broken at
the surface of the water. This is because the light:
a. speeds up as it moves from water into air.
b. slows down as it moves from water into air.
c. stops when it hits the water.
d. does not change speed.
75. Which property of light is being demonstrated by the pencil in the glass
of water?
a. Reflection
b. Absorption
c. Refraction
d. Transmission
Waves, Light and Sound Unit Test
Accelerated Science 8 – Version A
Page 9