1.

A sound wave is different than a light wave in that a sound wave is

a. produced by an oscillating object and a light wave is not.
b. not capable of traveling through a vacuum.
c. not capable of diffracting and a light wave is.
d. capable of existing with a variety of frequencies and a light wave has a single frequency.
Answer: B
Sound is a mechanical wave and cannot travel through a vacuum. Light is an
electromagnetic wave and can travel through the vacuum of outer space.
2.. Two musical notes that have a frequency ratio of 2:1 are said to be separated by an
octave. A musical note that is separated by an octave from middle C (256 Hz) has a
frequency of _____.
a. 128 Hz

b. 254 Hz

d. 345 Hz

e. none of these

c. 258 Hz

Answer: A
Two notes separated by an octave have a frequency ration of 2:1. If a note is one octave
below 256 Hz, then it must have one-half the frequency.
1. A sound wave is a pressure wave; regions of high (compressions) and low pressure
(rarefactions) are established as the result of the vibrations of the sound source. These
compressions and rarefactions result because sound
a. is more dense than air and thus has more inertia, causing the bunching up of sound.
b. waves have a speed that is dependent only upon the properties of the medium.
c. is like all waves; it is able to bend into the regions of space behind obstacles.
d. is able to reflect off fixed ends and interfere with incident waves
e. vibrates longitudinally; the longitudinal movement of air produces pressure fluctuations.
answer: E

Since the particles of the medium vibrate in a longitudinal fashion, compressions and
rarefactions are created. Study the tuning fork animation provided on the Tutorial page.

15. The number of cycles of a periodic wave occurring per unit time is defined as a
wave's ____.

a. wavelength.

b. period.

c. amplitude.

d. frequency.

Answer: D
2. If the particles of the medium are vibrating to and fro in the same direction of
energy transport, then the wave is a ____ wave.
a. longitudinal

b. sound

c. standing

d. transverse

Answer: A

3. When the particles of a medium are vibrating at right angles to the direction of
energy transport, then the wave is a ____ wave.
a. longitudinal

b. sound

c. standing

d. transverse

Answer: D
In transverse waves, particles of the medium vibrate to and from

in a direction perpendicular to the direction of energy transport.

4. A transverse wave is traveling through a medium. See diagram below. The
particles of the medium are vibrating _____.

a. parallel to the line joining AD.

b. along the line joining CI.

c. perpendicular to the line joining AD.

d. at various angles to the line CI.

Answer: A
5. If the energy in a longitudinal wave travels from south to north, the particles of
the medium would be vibrating _____.
a. from north to south, only

b. both north and south

c. from east to west, only

d. both east and west

Answer: B
6. As a pulse travels though a uniform medium, the speed of the pulse ____.
a. decreases

b. increases

c. remains the same

Answer: C
7. The main factor which effects the speed of a sound wave is the ____.
a. amplitude of the sound wave

b. intensity of the sound

c. loudness of the sound

d. properties of the medium

Answer: D
8. As a wave travels into a medium in which its speed increases, its wavelength
would ____.
a. decrease

Answer: B

b. increase

c. remain the same

As a wave crosses a boundary into a new medium, its speed and

wavelength change while its frequency remains the same. If the
speed increases, then the wavelength must increase as well in
order to maintain the same frequency.

9. As a wave passes across a boundary into a new medium, which characteristic of

the wave would NOT change?
a. speed

b. frequency

c. wavelength

10. What is the amplitude of the wave in the diagram below?

a. 0.03 m.

b. 0.04 m.

c. 0.05 m.

d. 0.06 m.

Answer: A
The amplitude of a wave is measured from rest to crest or from
rest to trough; but not from crest to trough. Thus, take the 0.06
m measurement and "halve it" to get the answer.

11. The wavelength of the wave in the diagram above (Question #10) is ____ m.
a. 0.030

b. 0.040

c. 0.060

d. 0.080

Answer: D
The wavelength of a wave is measured as the distance between
any two corresponding points on adjacent waves, which would

mean from a crest to the next adjacent crest. Thus, the distance
from point b to point d is the wavelength - 0.08 m

12. A wave X meters long passes through a medium with a speed of Y meters per
second. The frequency of the wave could be expressed as
a. Y/X cycles/sec.

b. X/Y cycles/sec.

c. XY cycles/sec.

d. (X + Y) cycles/sec.

Answer: A
Let d = wavelength. Since d*f = v, f = v/d.

Consider the following diagram for Questions #13-#14.

13. How many complete waves are shown in the diagram?

a. 1

b. 2

c. 3

d. 1.5

Answer: D
From point A to point E is one full wave cycle. After point E, the
wave begins to repeat itself, but only for one-half of a cycle.
Thus, there are 1.5 waves shown in the diagram.

14. If the distance from point A to point B in the diagram is 60 cm, then the
wavelength is ____.
a. 20 cm.

b. 40 cm.

c. 60 cm.

d. 90 cm.

Answer: B
From point A to point E is one full wave cycle. This distance
represents two-thirds of the 60 cm from A to G. Thus, the
wavelength is (2/3)*60 cm = 40 cm.

15. The number of cycles of a periodic wave occurring per unit time is defined as a
wave's ____.
a. wavelength.

b. period.

c. amplitude.

d. frequency.

Answer: D
16. A periodic and repeating disturbance in a lake creates waves which emanate
outward from its source to produce circular wave patterns. If the frequency of the
source is 2.00 Hz and the wave speed is 5.00m/s then the distance between
adjacent wave crests is ___ meter.
a. 0.200

b. 0.400

c. 1.25

d. 2.50

e. 10.0

Answer: d
17. What is the frequency of a wave that has a speed of 0.4 m/s and a wavelength
of 0.020 meter?
a. 10 hertz.

b. 20 hertz.

c. 0.008 hertz.

d. 0.5 hertz.

Answer: B
18. Many wave properties are dependent upon other wave properties. Yet, one wave
property is independent of all other wave properties. Which one of the following
properties of a wave is independent of all the others?
a. wavelength

Answer: D

b. frequency

c. period

d. velocity

19. A pendulum makes exactly 40 vibrations in 20.0 s. Its period is ____. (Be
cautious of the units.)
a. 0.500 Hz.

b. 0.500 s.

c. 2.00 Hz.

d. 2.00 s.

e. 8.00 x 102 Hz.

Answer: B
20. A period of 0.005 seconds would be equivalent to a frequency of ____ Hz.
a. 20

b. 50

c. 200

d. 500

e. 2000

Answer: C
24. If the frequency of a wave is doubled and if the speed remains constant, its
wavelength is ____.
a. quartered.

b. halved.

c. unchanged.

d. doubled.

Answer: B
26. When a pulse reaches a boundary between two different media, it will be____.
a. reflected, only.

b. transmitted, only.

c. partly reflected and partly transmitted.

d. neither reflected nor transmitted.

Answer: C
28. A wave whose speed in a snakey is 4.4 m/s enters a second snakey. The
wavelength changes from 2.0 m to 3.0 m. The wave in the second snakey travels
at approximately ____.
a. 1.5 m/s.

b. 2.2 m/s.

c. 2.9 m/s.

d. 4.4 m/s.

e. 6.6 m/s.

30. A 2.0-meter long rope is hanging vertically from the ceiling and attached to a
vibrator. A single pulse is observed to travel to the end of the rope in 0.50 s. What
frequency should be used by the vibrator to maintain three whole waves in the
rope?
a. 0.75 Hz

b. 1.3 Hz

c. 4.0 Hz

d. 6.0 Hz

e. 8.0 Hz

31. A standing wave experiment is performed to determine the speed of waves in a

rope. The standing wave pattern shown below is established in the rope. The rope
makes exactly 90 complete vibrational cycles in one minute. The speed of the
waves is ____ m/s.

a. 3.0

b. 6.0

c. 180

d. 360

e. 540

Answer: B
32. Consider the standing wave pattern shown below. A wave generated at the left
end of the medium undergoes reflection at the fixed end on the right side of the
medium. The number of antinodes in the diagram is _____.

a. 3

b. 5

c. 6

d. 7

e. 12

Answer: C
33. A node is a point located along the medium where there is always ___.
a. a double crest

b. a double trough

c. constructive interference

d. destructive interference

Answer: D
35. Which phenomenon is produced when two or more waves passing
simultaneously through the same medium meet up with one another?
a. refraction

b. diffraction

c. interference

d. reflection

38. Which one of the following CANNOT transmit sound?

a. Liquid air

b. Gaseous oxygen

d. Solid steel

e. Perfect vacuum

c. Liquid water

Answer: E

16. As a wave passes across a boundary into a new medium, which

characteristic of the wave would NOT change?
a. speed

b. frequency

c. wavelength

Answer: B
17. The ____ is defined as the number of cycles of a periodic wave occurring
per unit time.
a. wavelength

b. period

c. amplitude

d. frequency

Answer: D
19. Consider the motion of waves in a wire. Waves will travel fastest in a ____
wire.
a. tight and heavy b. tight and light c. loose and heavy d. loose and light
Answer: B
22. A sound wave has a wavelength of 3.0 m. The distance between the
center of a compression and the center of the next adjacent rarefaction is
____.
a. 0.75 m.

b. 1.5 m.

c. 3.0 m.

d. 6.0 m.

e. impossible to calculate without knowing frequency.

Answer: B
23. Which one of the following factors determines the pitch of a sound?
a. The amplitude of the sound wave
b. The distance of the sound wave from the source
c. The frequency of the sound wave
d. The phase of different parts of the sound wave
e. The speed of the sound wave
Answer: C

24. A certain note is produced when a person blows air into an organ pipe.
The manner in which one blows on a organ pipe (or any pipe) will effect the
characteristics of the sound which is produced. If the person blows slightly
harder, the most probable change will be that the sound wave will increase
in ____.
a. amplitude

b. frequency

c. pitch

d. speed

e. wavelength

Answer: A
26. Consider the diagram below of several circular waves created at various
times and locations. The diagram illustrates ____.

a. interference

b. diffraction

c. the Doppler effect.

d. polarization

Answer: C
27. In the diagram above, a person positioned at point A would perceive
__________ frequency as the person positioned at point B.
a. a higher

b. a lower

c. the same

30. As two or more waves pass simultaneously through the same region, ____
can occur.
a. refraction

b. diffraction

c. interference

d. reflection

9. The distance between successive nodes in any standing wave pattern is

equivalent to ____ wavelengths.
a. 1/4

b. 1/2

c. 3/4

d. 1

e. 2.

Answer: B
50. In order for two sound waves to produce audible beats, it is essential that
the two waves have ____.
a. the same amplitude

b. the same frequency

c. the same number of overtones

d. slightly different amplitudes

e. slightly different frequencies

Answer: E
52. A tuning fork of frequency 384 Hz is sounded at the same time as a
guitar string. Beats are observed; exactly 30 beats are heard in 10.0 s. The
frequency of the string in hertz is ____.
a. 38.4 b. 354 or 414

c. 369 or 399

d. 374 or 394

e. 381 or 387

Answer: E
58. Use the Doppler equation for a moving source to calculate the observed
frequency for a 250.-Hz source of sound if it is moving with a speed of ____ .
(Assume that the speed of sound in air is 340. m/s.)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.

30. m/s towards the observer.

30. m/s away from the observer.
300. m/s towards the observer.
300. m/s away from the observer.
320. m/s towards the observer.
335 m/s towards the observer.

Answers: See below.

The Doppler equation for determining the observed
frequency for a moving source is:
fobserved = vsound / (vsound vsource) fsource
The + sign is used if the source moves away from the
observer
The - sign is used if the source moves towards the observer.

If applied to this situation, vsound is 340 m/s and fsource is 250

Hz.
a. fobserved = (340. m/s)/(340. m/s - 30. m/s) (250 Hz) = (340.
m/s)/(310. m/s) (250. Hz) = 274 Hz
b. fobserved = (340. m/s)/(340. m/s + 30. m/s) (250 Hz) =
(340. m/s)/(370. m/s) (250. Hz) = 230. Hz
c. fobserved = (340. m/s)/(340. m/s - 300. m/s) (250 Hz) =
(340. m/s)/(40. m/s) (250. Hz) = 2130 Hz (2125 Hz)
d. fobserved = (340. m/s)/(340. m/s + 300. m/s) (250 Hz) =

(340. m/s)/(640. m/s) (250. Hz) = 133 Hz

e. fobserved = (340. m/s)/(340. m/s - 320. m/s) (250 Hz) =
(340. m/s)/(20. m/s) (250. Hz) = 4250 Hz
f. fobserved = (340. m/s)/(340. m/s - 335 m/s) (250 Hz) = (340.
m/s)/(5 m/s) (250. Hz) = 1.70 x 104 Hz