Waves questions

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Waves question collection

Review Waves questions for Physics, with correct answers shown and coverage across wave properties; wave speed calculations; reflection and refraction.

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Question 1

Which equation links wave speed \(v\), frequency \(f\) and wavelength \(\lambda\)?
  1. \(v = f\lambda\)
  2. \(v = f + \lambda\)
  3. \(v = \frac{f}{\lambda}\)
  4. \(v = \frac{\lambda}{f}\)

Question 2

If a wave has wavelength \(0.2\,\mathrm{m}\) and frequency \(5\,\mathrm{Hz}\), what is its speed?
  1. \(1\,\mathrm{m/s}\)
  2. \(0.04\,\mathrm{m/s}\)
  3. \(25\,\mathrm{m/s}\)
  4. \(5\,\mathrm{m/s}\)

Question 3

What does a larger amplitude indicate about a wave?
  1. More energy transferred
  2. Lower frequency
  3. Slower speed
  4. Shorter wavelength

Question 4

How is period \(T\) related to frequency \(f\)?
  1. \(T = \frac{1}{f}\)
  2. \(T = f\)
  3. \(T = f^2\)
  4. \(T = f + 1\)

Question 5

What is the frequency of a wave with period \(0.1\,\mathrm{s}\)?
  1. \(10\,\mathrm{Hz}\)
  2. \(0.1\,\mathrm{Hz}\)
  3. \(100\,\mathrm{Hz}\)
  4. \(1\,\mathrm{Hz}\)

Question 6

Which type of wave needs a medium and is longitudinal?
  1. Sound wave
  2. Radio wave
  3. Light wave
  4. Ultraviolet wave

Question 7

What do all electromagnetic waves share in a vacuum?
  1. Speed
  2. Frequency
  3. Wavelength
  4. Energy

Question 8

According to the law of reflection, what does the angle of incidence equal?
  1. The angle of reflection
  2. The wavelength
  3. The angle of refraction
  4. The amplitude

Question 9

A wave enters a slower medium at an angle. Which way does it refract?
  1. Towards the normal
  2. Away from the normal
  3. Along the boundary
  4. Back along its path

Question 10

Which electromagnetic wave has the longest wavelength?
  1. Radio waves
  2. Microwaves
  3. Infrared
  4. Gamma rays

Question 11

In a simplified model, ultrasound echoes form where what changes?
  1. Material density
  2. Material temperature
  3. Material pH
  4. Electrical resistance

Question 12

Which equation gives wave speed when you know distance and time?
  1. \(v = \frac{d}{t}\)
  2. \(v = dt\)
  3. \(v = d + t\)
  4. \(v = t / d\)

Question 13

Which property determines the pitch of a sound?
  1. Frequency
  2. Amplitude
  3. Wavelength
  4. Energy

Question 14

What allows light to cross a vacuum?
  1. Electromagnetic fields propagate without particles
  2. Longitudinal vibrations pass between particles
  3. Pressure variations cross empty space
  4. Electrons carry light through the vacuum

Question 15

Which electromagnetic waves are used by a thermal imaging camera?
  1. Infrared
  2. Radio waves
  3. Ultraviolet
  4. X-rays

Question 16

A wave’s wavelength doubles in a vacuum. What happens to its frequency?
  1. It halves
  2. It doubles
  3. It stays unchanged
  4. It quadruples

Question 17

A black surface absorbs infrared. Which energy store increases?
  1. Thermal store
  2. Chemical store
  3. Kinetic store
  4. Gravitational store

Question 18

What is the approximate frequency range of normal human hearing?
  1. 20 Hz to 20 kHz
  2. 2 Hz to 2 kHz
  3. 200 Hz to 200 kHz
  4. 20 kHz to 200 kHz

Question 19

Approximately how fast does sound travel through air, in m/s?
  1. 340
  2. 34
  3. 1500
  4. 300 000 000

Question 20

Which seismic waves cannot travel through liquid?
  1. S-waves
  2. P-waves
  3. Both P-waves and S-waves
  4. Neither P-waves nor S-waves

Question 21

Which imaging method uses non-ionising waves?
  1. Diagnostic ultrasound
  2. X-ray radiography
  3. Gamma-camera imaging
  4. CT scanning

Question 22

When a wave refracts, which property stays the same?
  1. Frequency
  2. Speed
  3. Wavelength
  4. Direction

Question 23

Which electromagnetic wave is used for satellite communication?
  1. Microwaves
  2. Gamma rays
  3. Ultraviolet
  4. X-rays

Question 24

Which electromagnetic wave is used in optical fibres?
  1. Infrared
  2. Radio waves
  3. Gamma rays
  4. Ultraviolet

Question 25

What type of reflection occurs at a rough surface?
  1. Diffuse reflection
  2. Specular reflection
  3. Total internal reflection
  4. Refraction

Question 26

A convex lens focuses light by doing what?
  1. Refracting rays towards a focal point
  2. Reflecting rays towards a focal point
  3. Refracting rays away from the axis
  4. Diffracting rays around its edge

Question 27

What is a main risk of ultraviolet exposure?
  1. Skin-cell damage
  2. Internal tissue heating
  3. Retinal heating
  4. Deep-tissue cell mutation

Question 28

Which colour of visible light has the shortest wavelength?
  1. Violet
  2. Red
  3. Yellow
  4. Green

Question 29

A surface looks blue in white light. What happens to the red light?
  1. Absorbed
  2. Reflected
  3. Transmitted
  4. Refracted

Question 30

A perfect black body is also the best possible what?
  1. Emitter
  2. Reflector
  3. Insulator
  4. Conductor

Question 31

An object absorbs more radiation than it emits. What happens to its temperature?
  1. It rises
  2. It falls
  3. It stays constant
  4. It falls then rises

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Review Waves questions for Physics, with correct answers shown and coverage across wave properties; wave speed calculations; reflection and refraction.

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