Wave Properties: Types, Properties, and Superposition

Question 1

When two waves with similar amplitudes and frequencies travel in the same direction, what happens to their amplitudes during constructive and destructive interference?

Accepted Answer

Constructive: Increased amplitude, Destructive: Decreased amplitude

Answer

Constructive: Decreased amplitude, Destructive: Increased amplitude

Answer

Constructive: Unchanged amplitude, Destructive: Unchanged amplitude

Answer

Constructive: Doubled frequency, Destructive: Halved frequency

Question 2

Which of the following wave types are mechanical and which are electromagnetic? Classify each as either mechanical or electromagnetic: sound, radio waves, ripples on a pond, and X-rays.

Accepted Answer

Sound: mechanical; Radio waves: electromagnetic; Ripples on a pond: mechanical; X-rays: electromagnetic

Answer

Sound: electromagnetic; Radio waves: mechanical; Ripples on a pond: electromagnetic; X-rays: mechanical

Answer

Sound: electromagnetic; Radio waves: mechanical; Ripples on a pond: mechanical; X-rays: electromagnetic

Question 3

What is wave polarization and how is it used in technologies like 3D movies and polarized sunglasses?

Accepted Answer

Wave polarization describes the direction of wave vibrations, perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation.

Accepted Answer

Polarized sunglasses use wave polarization to filter out horizontally polarized light, reducing glare.

Accepted Answer

In 3D movies, images intended for each eye are projected with different polarizations, allowing for a stereoscopic effect.

Answer

Polarization is not a property of electromagnetic waves like light, but only applies to mechanical waves like sound.

Question 4

Why do we often observe curved edges of shadows in everyday life, instead of sharp boundaries?

Accepted Answer

Wave diffraction causes waves to bend around obstacles, resulting in curved shadow edges.

Answer

Wave diffraction increases the intensity of waves near obstacles, making shadows darker.

Answer

Wave diffraction only occurs for high-frequency waves, not for everyday objects.

Answer

Wave diffraction has no effect on shadows; sharp edges are due to the finite size of light sources.

Question 5

Which of the following accurately describes wave dispersion?

Accepted Answer

Waves of different frequencies travel at different speeds in a medium, causing a change in wave shape.

Answer

Waves of different frequencies travel at the same speed in a medium.

Answer

Wave speed is independent of frequency.

Answer

Wave amplitude decreases as it propagates through a medium.

Question 6

The amplitude of a wave is defined as the:

Accepted Answer

Maximum displacement from the equilibrium position

Answer

Average height of the wave

Answer

Energy carried by the wave

Answer

Distance between adjacent crests

Question 7

The relationship between wavelength (λ) and frequency (f) is:

Accepted Answer

Inversely proportional (λ ∝ 1/f)

Answer

Independent

Answer

Logarithmically related

Answer

Directly proportional (λ ∝ f)

Question 8

The speed of a wave is determined by:

Accepted Answer

Both frequency and wavelength

Answer

Frequency only

Answer

Amplitude only

Answer

Wavelength only

Question 9

When two waves with similar frequencies interfere, they produce:

Accepted Answer

Beats

Answer

No noticeable effect

Answer

Destructive interference only

Answer

Constructive interference only

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT a property of electromagnetic waves?

Accepted Answer

They require a physical medium to propagate

Answer

They can be polarized

Answer

They travel at the speed of light

Answer

They carry both energy and momentum

Question 11

The primary unit of measurement for wavelength is:

Accepted Answer

Meters (m)

Answer

Hertz (Hz)

Answer

Seconds (s)

Answer

Watts (W)

Question 12

Which of the following can affect the speed of a sound wave?

Accepted Answer

Temperature and density of the medium

Answer

Temperature of the medium only

Answer

Density of the medium only

Answer

Frequency and amplitude of the wave

Question 13

The relationship between the period (T) and frequency (f) of a wave is:

Accepted Answer

Inversely proportional (T ∝ 1/f)

Answer

Logarithmically related

Answer

Directly proportional (T ∝ f)

Answer

Independent

Question 14

A transverse wave is characterized by:

Accepted Answer

Vibrations perpendicular to the wave's direction of propagation

Answer

Vibrations parallel to the wave's direction of propagation

Answer

Circular vibrations

Answer

No vibrations

Question 15

Which of the following is a property of waves?

Accepted Answer

Amplitude

Answer

Volume

Answer

Density

Answer

Mass

Question 16

The crest of a wave represents the point of:

Accepted Answer

Maximum displacement above the equilibrium position

Answer

Zero displacement

Answer

Maximum displacement below the equilibrium position

Question 17

What is the inverse relationship between wavelength and frequency?

Accepted Answer

Wavelength is inversely proportional to frequency

Answer

Wavelength is not related to frequency

Answer

Wavelength is directly proportional to frequency

Answer

Wavelength is equal to frequency

Question 18

Which type of wave has the highest frequency?

Accepted Answer

Gamma rays

Answer

Radio waves

Answer

Sound waves

Answer

Microwaves

Question 19

When two waves interact, the resulting wave is:

Accepted Answer

The sum of the individual waves

Answer

The difference of the individual waves

Answer

Always smaller than the individual waves

Answer

Always larger than the individual waves

Question 20

What is the velocity of a wave defined as?

Accepted Answer

Distance traveled per unit time

Answer

Amplitude of the wave

Answer

Time taken to travel a distance

Answer

Number of waves passing a point per second

Question 21

Which factor primarily influences the speed of a wave?

Accepted Answer

Medium

Answer

Wavelength

Answer

Amplitude

Answer

Frequency

Question 22

What is the distance between two consecutive crests of a wave called?

Accepted Answer

Wavelength

Answer

Distance between two consecutive troughs

Answer

Height of the wave

Answer

Time taken for one complete cycle

Question 23

Which of the following is an example of a transverse wave?

Accepted Answer

Light

Answer

Sound

Answer

Seismic waves

Answer

Water waves

Question 24

What is the relationship between the amplitude and intensity of a wave?

Accepted Answer

Amplitude is directly proportional to the square of intensity

Answer

Amplitude is inversely proportional to intensity

Answer

Amplitude is equal to intensity

Question 25

Which of the following is NOT a fundamental property of waves?

Accepted Answer

Mass

Answer

Amplitude

Answer

Frequency

Question 26

The amplitude of a wave represents:

Accepted Answer

The maximum displacement of the medium from its equilibrium position

Answer

The number of crests or troughs that pass a given point per unit time

Answer

The speed at which the wave travels

Question 27

A wave with a frequency of 60 Hz has a period of:

Accepted Answer

0.0167 s

Answer

60 s

Answer

2 s

Question 28

Which of the following waves has the greatest energy?

Accepted Answer

Wave with high amplitude and high frequency

Answer

Wave with low amplitude and low frequency

Answer

Wave with low amplitude and high frequency

Answer

Wave with high amplitude and low frequency

Question 29

The principle of superposition states that:

Accepted Answer

When two or more waves overlap, the resulting displacement of the medium is the algebraic sum of the individual displacements.

Answer

The speed of a wave is inversely proportional to its wavelength.

Question 30

Which of the following is a characteristic of standing waves?

Accepted Answer

They are confined to a specific region and do not travel

Answer

They travel in two directions

Answer

They travel in one direction only

Question 31

The speed of a wave is determined by:

Accepted Answer

Distance traveled per unit time

Answer

Time taken to travel a certain distance

Answer

Number of crests or troughs that pass a given point per second

Question 32

The wavelength of a wave is measured between:

Accepted Answer

Two consecutive crests or troughs

Answer

Time taken for one complete cycle

Answer

Distance between two consecutive nodes

Answer

Amplitude of the wave

Question 33

Which of the following factors does NOT affect the velocity of a wave?

Accepted Answer

Temperature of the medium

Answer

Elasticity of the medium

Answer

Density of the medium

Question 34

Which of the following is NOT a property of waves?

Accepted Answer

Inertia

Answer

Amplitude

Answer

Wavelength

Question 35

The distance between two consecutive crests or troughs of a wave is known as its:

Accepted Answer

Wavelength

Answer

Amplitude

Answer

Frequency

Question 36

The number of wave cycles that pass a given point per unit time is called:

Accepted Answer

Frequency

Answer

Wavelength

Answer

Velocity

Answer

Period

Question 37

The product of wavelength and frequency is equal to:

Accepted Answer

Wave velocity

Answer

Wave energy

Answer

Wave amplitude

Answer

Wave period

Question 38

When two or more waves overlap in the same region of space, their resulting displacement is determined by the:

Accepted Answer

Superposition principle

Answer

Interference principle

Answer

Reflection principle

Answer

Diffraction principle

Question 39

In a transverse wave, the particles of the medium:

Accepted Answer

Vibrate perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation

Answer

Do not vibrate

Answer

Vibrate parallel to the direction of wave propagation

Answer

Vibrate randomly

Question 40

In a longitudinal wave, the direction of particle displacement is:

Accepted Answer

Parallel to the direction of wave propagation

Answer

Perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation

Answer

Random

Answer

At an angle to the direction of wave propagation

Question 41

A wave traveling in air with a frequency of 400 Hz has a wavelength of 0.85 m. What is the speed of the wave?

Accepted Answer

343 m/s

Answer

600 m/s

Answer

200 m/s

Question 42

Which of the following waves is a transverse wave?

Accepted Answer

Light wave

Answer

Water wave

Answer

Sound wave

Answer

Longitudinal wave

Question 43

The amplitude of a wave is defined as the:

Accepted Answer

Maximum vertical displacement from equilibrium

Answer

Velocity of the wave

Answer

Distance between two adjacent crests

Answer

Time period of the wave

Question 44

Which property of a wave determines the distance between two consecutive crests?

Accepted Answer

Wavelength

Answer

Amplitude

Answer

Phase

Answer

Frequency

Question 45

The frequency of a wave is measured in:

Accepted Answer

Hertz

Answer

Seconds

Answer

Meters

Answer

Newtons

Question 46

According to the principle of superposition, when two waves meet, their:

Accepted Answer

Displacements add algebraically

Answer

Wavelengths change

Answer

Amplitudes multiply

Answer

Frequencies cancel out

Question 47

What is the relationship between the wavelength and frequency of a wave with a constant velocity?

Accepted Answer

Inversely proportional

Answer

Logarithmically proportional

Answer

Directly proportional

Answer

No relationship

Question 48

Standing waves are formed by the superposition of:

Accepted Answer

Two waves traveling in opposite directions

Answer

Three waves traveling at different angles

Answer

Four waves traveling in any direction

Answer

Two waves traveling in the same direction

Question 49

Which of the following is characteristic of electromagnetic waves?

Accepted Answer

Transverse waves that do not require a medium for propagation

Answer

Longitudinal waves that require a medium for propagation

Answer

Transverse waves that require a dense medium for propagation

Answer

Longitudinal waves that do not require a medium for propagation

Question 50

The Doppler effect is a phenomenon observed when:

Accepted Answer

A wave source or observer moves relative to the propagation medium

Answer

A wave is reflected from a surface

Answer

Two waves interfere with each other