Waves: Properties, Behavior, and Applications - Physics Year 12

Question 1

Which of the following is an example of **constructive interference**?

Accepted Answer

Two waves with the same phase combine to produce a wave with increased amplitude

Answer

Two waves with opposite phases combine to produce a wave with decreased amplitude

Answer

Two waves with different frequencies combine to produce a wave with a new frequency

Answer

Two waves with different wavelengths combine to produce a wave with a new wavelength

Question 2

What is the **principle of superposition** as applied to waves?

Accepted Answer

When two or more waves overlap, the resulting displacement at any point is the sum of the individual displacements

Answer

When two or more waves overlap, the resulting displacement at any point is the average of the individual displacements

Answer

When two or more waves overlap, the resulting displacement at any point is the product of the individual displacements

Answer

When two or more waves overlap, the resulting displacement at any point is the difference between the individual displacements

Question 3

What is the phenomenon observed when a wave passes through a narrow opening or around an obstacle and **spreads out**?

Accepted Answer

Diffraction

Answer

Reflection

Answer

Refraction

Answer

Interference

Question 4

Which of the following is a type of **electromagnetic wave**?

Accepted Answer

Radio wave

Answer

Sound wave

Answer

Water wave

Answer

Seismic wave

Question 5

What is the relationship between the **energy** of a wave and its amplitude?

Accepted Answer

Energy is proportional to the square of the amplitude

Answer

Energy is proportional to the amplitude

Answer

Energy is inversely proportional to the square of the amplitude

Answer

Energy is inversely proportional to the amplitude

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

Electric charge

Answer

Wave speed

Answer

Wavelength

Answer

Amplitude

Question 7

Which material has a higher refractive index: air, water, glass, or vacuum?

Accepted Answer

Glass

Answer

Air

Answer

Water

Answer

Vacuum

Question 8

Which of the following is an example that illustrates the interference of waves?

Accepted Answer

The cancellation of sound waves

Answer

The formation of a rainbow

Answer

The reflection of light off a mirror

Answer

The bending of light around an object

Question 9

State the superposition principle for waves.

Accepted Answer

Waves can combine to form a new wave.

Answer

Waves can pass through each other without affecting each other.

Answer

Waves can only exist in a vacuum.

Answer

Waves always travel in straight lines.

Question 10

Which factor has a significant influence on the speed at which a wave propagates?

Accepted Answer

Medium

Answer

Frequency

Answer

Wavelength

Answer

Amplitude

Question 11

Which property is NOT characteristic of waves?

Accepted Answer

Density

Answer

Frequency

Answer

Amplitude

Answer

Phase

Question 12

When a wave reflects off a surface, which property remains unchanged?

Accepted Answer

Frequency

Answer

Amplitude

Answer

Phase

Answer

Direction

Question 13

Diffraction refers to the:

Accepted Answer

Bending of waves around obstacles

Answer

Interference of waves from multiple sources

Answer

Reflection of waves from a smooth surface

Answer

Absorption of waves by a medium

Question 14

Which property of a wave is inversely proportional to its wavelength?

Accepted Answer

Frequency

Answer

Amplitude

Answer

Speed

Answer

Phase

Question 15

Which of the following is a source of transverse waves?

Accepted Answer

Vibrating string

Answer

Moving electron

Answer

Oscillating pendulum

Answer

Expanding gas

Question 16

Which factor primarily determines the speed of a wave?

Accepted Answer

Medium it is traveling through

Answer

Frequency and wavelength

Answer

Amplitude and phase

Answer

Source of the wave

Question 17

Which of these factors influences the speed of a wave?

Accepted Answer

Properties of the medium

Answer

Frequency

Answer

Amplitude

Answer

Temperature

Question 18

What is the phenomenon where a wave changes direction when encountering an obstacle or passing through an opening?

Accepted Answer

Diffraction

Answer

Refraction

Answer

Reflection

Answer

Interference

Question 19

Which of the following best describes the combination of two or more waves to create a new wave?

Accepted Answer

Wave superposition

Answer

Wave interference

Answer

Wave reflection

Answer

Wave diffraction

Question 20

What is the term for the pattern generated when two or more waves interfere with each other?

Accepted Answer

Interference pattern

Answer

Diffraction pattern

Answer

Reflection pattern

Answer

Refraction pattern

Question 21

Consider a wave traveling in a medium. Which factor affects the wave's velocity?

Accepted Answer

Properties of the medium

Answer

Amplitude of the wave

Answer

Wavelength of the wave

Answer

External force applied

Question 22

Which of the following applications of wave behavior is commonly used in medicine?

Accepted Answer

Ultrasound imaging

Answer

Radar systems for object detection

Answer

Microwave ovens for cooking

Answer

Solar panels for generating electricity

Question 23

Which phenomenon causes light to bend as it passes through a prism?

Accepted Answer

Refraction

Answer

Reflection

Answer

Diffraction

Answer

Polarization

Question 24

Consider two waves with the same amplitude and different frequencies. Which wave carries more energy?

Accepted Answer

Wave with higher frequency

Answer

Wave with lower frequency

Answer

Both waves have the same energy

Answer

Energy cannot be determined without knowing the wavelength

Question 25

Which type of wave can propagate without requiring a material medium?

Accepted Answer

Electromagnetic wave

Answer

Mechanical wave

Answer

Sound wave

Answer

Water wave

Question 26

When a wave undergoes reflection from a fixed boundary, its wavelength:

Accepted Answer

Remains unchanged

Answer

Increases

Answer

Decreases

Answer

Depends solely on the angle of incidence

Question 27

The phenomenon of interference occurs when two or more waves:

Accepted Answer

Have the same frequency and travel in the same direction

Answer

Have the same frequency but travel in opposite directions

Answer

Have different frequencies but travel in the same direction

Answer

Have different frequencies and travel in opposite directions

Question 28

Which of the following devices is commonly used to demonstrate the wave nature of light?

Accepted Answer

Double-slit experiment

Answer

Prism

Answer

Lens

Answer

Polarizer

Question 29

The superposition principle states that when two or more waves overlap, the resulting disturbance is:

Accepted Answer

The sum of the individual disturbances

Answer

The difference of the individual disturbances

Answer

The product of the individual disturbances

Answer

The average of the individual disturbances

Question 30

When a wave encounters an obstacle significantly smaller than its wavelength, it:

Accepted Answer

Bends around the obstacle (diffraction)

Answer

Reflects off the obstacle (reflection)

Answer

Transmits through the obstacle (transmission)

Answer

Absorbed by the obstacle

Question 31

When two waves overlap, which principle determines how they combine?

Accepted Answer

Superposition

Answer

Interference

Answer

Reflection

Answer

Diffraction

Question 32

The bending of light as it passes from air into glass is primarily due to:

Accepted Answer

Change in the speed of light

Answer

Change in the wavelength of light

Answer

Change in the direction of light

Question 33

Constructive interference in wave superposition occurs when the path difference between two coherent sources is:

Accepted Answer

An integer multiple of the wavelength

Answer

An odd multiple of half the wavelength

Question 34

The Doppler effect for waves describes:

Accepted Answer

Change in frequency due to relative motion between source and observer

Answer

Change in wavelength due to changes in medium density

Answer

Change in amplitude due to wave interactions

Question 35

Which property distinguishes electromagnetic waves from other types of waves?

Accepted Answer

Ability to travel through a vacuum

Answer

Requirement for a medium

Answer

Mechanical oscillations

Answer

Longitudinal nature

Question 36

Standing waves are formed when two waves:

Accepted Answer

Travel in opposite directions with equal frequency and amplitude

Answer

Travel in the same direction with different frequencies and amplitudes

Answer

Travel perpendicular to each other with different frequencies

Question 37

Which of the following phenomena occurs when a wave changes direction at the boundary between two media?

Accepted Answer

Refraction

Answer

Reflection

Answer

Interference

Answer

Diffraction

Question 38

Which of the following is the phase difference between two waves that are in phase?

Accepted Answer

0 radians

Answer

3π/2 radians

Answer

π radians

Answer

π/2 radians

Question 39

Two waves with equal amplitudes and frequencies but opposite phases interfere with each other. What will be the resulting amplitude?

Accepted Answer

0

Answer

Twice the original amplitude

Answer

Half the original amplitude

Answer

The sum of the original amplitudes

Question 40

Which of the following factors affects the wavelength of a wave?

Accepted Answer

Wave speed and frequency

Answer

Wave amplitude only

Answer

Wave medium only

Answer

Wave intensity only

Question 41

Which of the following techniques can be used to determine the speed of a wave?

Accepted Answer

Measuring wavelength and frequency

Answer

Measuring amplitude only

Answer

Measuring intensity only

Answer

Measuring phase only

Question 42

A wave passes through a narrow slit and produces a diffraction pattern. What factor affects the width of the central fringe in this pattern?

Accepted Answer

Slit width

Answer

Wave frequency

Answer

Wave amplitude

Answer

Wave medium

Question 43

Which of the following applications of wave behavior is used in medical imaging?

Accepted Answer

Ultrasound

Answer

Microscopy only

Answer

Telescopy only