Chapter 20 Study Questions Name:___________________________ Class: __________
Multiple Choice
Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
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1. As the wavelength increases, the frequency
a. decreases.
c. remains the same.
b. increases.
d. increases, then decreases.
2. Which wave interaction explains why sound waves can be heard around corners?
a. reflection
c. diffraction
b. refraction
d. interference
3. Refraction occurs when a wave enters a new medium at an angle because
a. the frequency changes.
c. the wave speed changes.
b. the amplitude changes.
d. None of the above
4. The speed of a wave with a frequency of 2 Hz (2/s), an amplitude of 3 m, and a wavelength of 10 m is
a. 0.2 m/s.
c. 12 m/s.
b. 5 m/s.
d. 20 m/s.
5. Waves transfer
a. matter.
c. particles.
b. energy.
d. water.
6. A wave that is a combination of longitudinal and transverse waves is a
a. sound wave.
c. rope wave.
b. light wave.
d. surface wave.
7. The wave property that is related to the height of a wave is the
a. wavelength.
c. frequency.
b. amplitude.
d. wave speed.
8. During constructive interference,
a. the amplitude increases.
c. the wave speed increases.
b. the frequency decreases.
d. All of the above
9. Waves that do NOT require a medium are
a. longitudinal waves.
c. surface waves.
b. electromagnetic waves.
d. mechanical waves.
10. A standing wave results from
a. diffraction.
c. interference.
b. refraction.
d. a change in medium.
11. The loudness of a sound is a measure of wave
a. amplitude.
c. frequency.
b. length.
d. speed.
12. A light wave will ____ if it enters a new medium perpendicular to the surface.
a. refract
c. diffract
b. not refract
d. Both (a) and (c)
13. An earthquake is an example of how waves can carry
a. matter.
c. energy.
b. objects.
d. All of the above
14. Light waves travel fastest through
a. air.
c. a vacuum.
b. glass.
d. water.
____ 15. A(n) ____ is an example of a mechanical wave.
a. ocean wave
c. light wave
b. radio wave
d. X ray
____ 16. Any disturbance that transmits energy through matter or space is a
a. wave.
c. ray.
b. medium.
d. compression.
____ 17. Waves carry energy, but NOT
a. sound.
c. matter.
b. light.
d. electric charges.
____ 18. A section of a longitudinal wave where the particles are crowded together is called a
a. rarefaction.
c. vibration.
b. compression.
d. surface wave.
____ 19. A substance through which a wave can travel is called
a. a vacuum.
c. a medium.
b. space.
d. an electromagnetic wave.
____ 20. One complete back-and-forth motion of an object is called
a. a vibration.
c. a wave.
b. a medium.
d. a wavelength.
____ 21. ____ waves do NOT require a medium through which to travel.
a. Sound
c. Ocean
b. Light
d. Mechanical
____ 22. Which of the following waves does NOT require a medium through which to travel?
a. microwaves
c. radio waves
b. X rays
d. all of the above
____ 23. When a particle vibrates, it transfers
a. mass to a particle next to it, causing it to become heavier.
b. electrons to a particle next to it, causing it to become an ion.
c. energy to a particle next to it, causing it to vibrate.
d. nothing to neighboring particles.
____ 24. Waves that require a medium through which to travel are called
a. electromagnetic waves.
c. light waves.
b. mechanical waves.
d. None of the above.
____ 25. To reach a coral reef 10 m below water, light waves from the sun must travel through
a. empty space.
c. ocean water.
b. Earth's atmosphere.
d. All of the above
____ 26. Which of the following is NOT an example of a medium?
a. air
c. glass
b. water
d. empty space
____ 27. Electromagnetic waves travel fastest through
a. empty space.
c. glass.
b. water.
d. air.
____ 28. The highest point of a transverse wave is called the
a. trough.
c. compression.
b. crest.
d. None of the above
____ 29. Waves in which the particles vibrate at right angles to the direction that the wave is traveling are called
a. transverse waves.
c. electromagnetic waves.
b. longitudinal waves.
d. mechanical waves.
____ 30. Waves in which the particles vibrate back and forth along the path that the wave travels are called
____ 31.
____ 32.
____ 33.
____ 34.
a. electromagnetic waves.
c. transverse waves.
b. longitudinal waves.
d. mechanical waves.
A wave on a rope is an example of a(n)
a. electromagnetic wave.
c. transverse wave.
b. microwave.
d. longitudinal wave.
Pushing a spring back and forth creates a(n)
a. electromagnetic wave.
c. transverse wave.
b. microwave.
d. longitudinal wave.
A ____ is a section of a wave where the particles are less crowded than normal.
a. compression
c. vibration
b. rarefaction
d. period
Compressions and rarefactions are sections of
a. TV waves.
c. transverse waves.
b. radio waves.
d. longitudinal waves.
Below is an illustration of the behavior of air particles near a vibrating drumhead.
Examine the illustration and answer the questions that follow.
____ 35. Region D illustrates a ____ of air particles.
a. compression
c. refraction
b. rarefaction
d. diffraction
____ 36. Region C illustrates a ____ of air particles.
a. compression
c. refraction
b. rarefaction
d. diffraction
____ 37. This wave is an example of a(n)
a. electromagnetic wave.
c. longitudinal wave.
b. surface wave.
d. transverse wave.
____ 38. ____ illustrate(s) a wavelength.
a. Region A
c. Regions C and D
b. Region B
d. Regions A and B
____ 39. If the illustration represents 0.1 second, what is the frequency of this wave?
a. 10 Hz
c. 30 Hz
b. 20 Hz
d. 40 Hz
____ 40. When waves occur at or near the boundary between two media, a surface wave can be formed by the
combination of
a. an electromagnetic wave and a transverse wave.
b. a longitudinal wave and an electromagnetic wave.
c. a transverse wave and a longitudinal wave.
d. None of the above
Below are illustrations of waves. Study the illustrations and answer the questions that follow.
____ 41. Which wave has the largest amplitude?
a. A
c. C
b. B
d. They all have the same amplitude.
____ 42. Which wave has the LEAST energy?
a. A
c. C
b. B
d. They all have the same energy.
____ 43. If each illustration represents 1 s, which wave has the highest frequency?
a. A
c. C
b. B
d. They all have the same frequency.
____ 44. Which wave has the longest wavelength?
a. A
c. C
b. B
d. They all have the same wavelength.
____ 45. As the frequency of a wave increases, the ____ increases.
a. amplitude
c. energy
b. period
d. wavelength
Below are illustrations of waves. Each illustraion represents 1 s. Study the illustrations and answer the
questions that follow.
____ 46. Which wave has the highest energy?
a. A
c. C
b. B
d. D
____ 47. Which wave has the lowest frequency?
a. A
c. C
b. B
d. D
____ 48. Which wave has the longest wavelength?
a. A
c. C
b. B
d. D
____ 49. Which wave has a frequency of 6 Hz?
a. A
c. C
b. B
d. D
____ 50. Which wave has the largest amplitude?
a. B
c. D
b. C
d. They all have the same amplitude.
____ 51. Which of the following is the correct equation relating wavelength, frequency, and wave speed?
c.
a.
b.
d.
____ 52. All waves have
a. amplitude.
c. frequency.
b. energy.
d. All of the above
____ 53. The maximum distance a wave vibrates from its rest position is called the
a. wave speed.
c. frequency.
____ 54.
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b. amplitude.
d. wavelength.
The distance between any two adjacent crests or compressions in a series of waves is called
a. wave speed.
c. frequency.
b. amplitude.
d. a wavelength.
The number of waves produced in a given amount of time is called the ____ of a wave.
a. speed
c. frequency
b. amplitude
d. a wavelength
If two wavelengths pass a given point each second, and the distance between wave crests is 3 m, what is the
wave speed?
a. 2 m/s
c. 6 m/s
b. 3 m/s
d. 12 m/s
The distance a wave travels in a certain amount of time is called
a. wave speed.
c. frequency.
b. amplitude.
d. wavelength.
The lowest pitch that the average human can hear has a frequency of 20 Hz. If sound with this frequency has a
wave speed of 340 m/s, what is its wavelength?
a. 0.06 m
c. 340 m
b. 17 m
d. 6,800 m
A bottlenose dolphin can hear sounds with frequencies up to 150,000 Hz. If the speed of sound in sea water is
approximately 1,500 m/s, what is the wavelength?
a. 0.001 m
c. 0.1 m
b. 0.01 m
d. 10 m
Waves in the ocean are 6 m apart and pass a surfer every 2 s. What is the wave speed?
a. 0.33 m/s
c. 6 m/s
b. 3 m/s
d. 12 m/s
Sonar is a device that uses reflected ultrasonic sound waves to measure underwater depths. If a sonar signal
has a frequency of 100,000 Hz and a wavelength of 0.015 m, what is the speed of the sonar signal in water?
a. 15 m/s
c. 1,500 m/s
b. 150 m/s
d. 15,000 m/s
A buoy on a lake bobs up and down. The waves that cross the buoy have a wavelength of 3 m and a frequency
of 3 Hz. What is the speed of the waves?
a. 0.33 m/s
c. 3 m/s
b. 1 m/s
d. 9 m/s
____ occurs when a wave bounces back after striking a barrier.
a. Reflection
c. Diffraction
b. Refraction
d. Interference
The bending of a wave as it passes at an angle from one medium to another is
a. reflection.
c. diffraction.
b. refraction.
d. interference.
The bending of a wave around a barrier or through an opening is known as
a. interference.
c. diffraction.
b. refraction.
d. reflection.
____ is the result of two or more waves overlapping.
a. Reflection
c. Diffraction
b. Refraction
d. Interference
The amount of diffraction a wave experiences depends on
a. its wavelength.
b. the size of the barrier the wave encounters.
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c. the size of the opening the wave encounters.
d. All of the above
The amount of diffraction is small if a barrier or opening is ____ than the wavelength of an approaching
wave.
a. larger
c. the same size as
b. smaller
d. Both (b) and (c)
____ results when the crests of one wave overlap the crests of another wave.
a. Refraction
c. Constructive interference
b. Diffraction
d. Destructive interference
____ results when the crests of one wave overlap the troughs of another wave.
a. Diffraction
c. Constructive interference.
b. Refraction
d. Destructive interference.
A wave formed as a result of destructive interference has
a. a smaller amplitude than the original waves.
b. the same amplitude as the original waves.
c. a larger amplitude than the original waves.
d. triple the amplitude of the original waves.
A wave formed as a result of constructive interference has
a. the same amplitude as the original waves.
b. a smaller amplitude than the original waves.
c. a larger amplitude than the original waves.
d. no amplitude at all.
Standing waves form when
a. total destructive interference occurs.
c. waves travel in both directions.
b. constructive interference occurs.
d. All of the above
While a singer sings a long, high note, a drinking glass on a table next to her begins to vibrate. The vibration
of the glass is a result of
a. destructive interference.
c. resonance.
b. constructive interference.
d. diffraction.
A ship anchored at sea is rocked by waves whose crests are 14 m apart. The waves travel at 7 m/s. How often
do the wave crests reach the ship?
a. every 0.5 s
c. every 98 s
b. every 2 s
d. none of the above
What happens when the trough of one wave overlaps the crest of another wave if both waves have the same
amplitude?
a. total constructive interference
c. refraction
b. total destructive interference
d. diffraction
When you place a pencil in a glass of water, the pencil appears bent because of
a. diffraction.
c. interference.
b. refraction.
d. resonance.
Bats emit sound waves having high frequencies and listen for the echoes as the waves bounce off of insects.
In other words, bats use ____ sound waves to locate the food they eat.
a. reflected
c. diffracted
b. refracted
d. resonated
Which of the following describes how you can see the moon at night?
a. The sun's rays diffract around the moon.
b. The sun's rays refract through the moon.
c. The sun's rays reflect off the moon's surface.
d. The sun's rays are absorbed by the moon's surface.
____ 80. An ocean wave that moves into shallow water is ____ as its speed changes.
a. diffracted
c. reflected
b. refracted
d. resonated
Short Answer
81. Draw a transverse wave, and identify its amplitude and wavelength.
82. Rank the waves below from highest energy to lowest energy, and explain your reasoning.
The table below shows the approximate speeds at which sound waves travel through different media. Study
the table and answer the following questions.
Approximate Speed of Sound Through Different Media
Medium
Speed (m/s)
Air at 0°C
331
Air at 20°C
344
Brick
3,628
Steel
5,064
Water
1,480
83. Based on the data in the table, what general conclusion can you draw about the speed of sound in solids,
liquids, and gases? Explain your answer.
84. According to the table, how does temperature affect the speed of sound through air?