Wave Propagation: Learn and Test Your Understanding

Question 1

Which quantity remains unchanged when a wave passes from one medium to another?

Accepted Answer

Frequency

Answer

Wavelength

Answer

Amplitude

Answer

Velocity

Question 2

A wave travels from one medium into another denser medium. What happens to its wavelength?

Accepted Answer

It decreases

Answer

It increases

Answer

It remains the same

Answer

It becomes infinite

Question 3

Which of the following is **not** a type of wave interference?

Accepted Answer

Polarization

Answer

Constructive interference

Answer

Destructive interference

Answer

Partial interference

Question 4

A water wave with a wavelength of 0.5 m is incident on a barrier with a narrow opening of 0.1 m. What type of diffraction pattern will be observed?

Accepted Answer

Single-slit diffraction

Answer

Double-slit diffraction

Answer

Multiple-slit diffraction

Answer

No diffraction pattern

Question 5

Which of the following is a standing wave?

Accepted Answer

A wave that oscillates in a fixed position

Answer

A wave that travels in one direction only

Answer

A wave that has a constant amplitude

Answer

A wave that has a constant frequency

Question 6

Which of the following waves is an electromagnetic wave?

Accepted Answer

Radio wave

Answer

Sound wave

Answer

Water wave

Answer

Seismic wave

Question 7

When a wave encounters a boundary between two different media, it can:

Accepted Answer

Reflect and refract

Answer

Interfere with other waves

Answer

Diffract around obstacles

Answer

Be absorbed by the medium

Question 8

Diffraction is the phenomenon that occurs when a wave:

Accepted Answer

Bends around obstacles

Answer

Reflects off a surface

Answer

Refracts through a medium

Answer

Interferes with other waves

Question 9

Total internal reflection occurs when:

Accepted Answer

The angle of incidence is greater than the critical angle

Answer

The angle of incidence is less than the critical angle

Answer

The wave is traveling from a less dense medium to a denser medium

Answer

The wave is traveling from a denser medium to a less dense medium

Question 10

Which of the following is an application that utilizes the principle of total internal reflection?

Accepted Answer

Optical fibers

Answer

Prisms

Answer

Mirrors

Answer

Lenses

Question 11

The Doppler effect is observed when:

Accepted Answer

A wave source and observer are in relative motion

Answer

A wave travels through a medium with a changing density

Answer

A wave reflects off a moving surface

Answer

A wave diffracts around an obstacle

Question 12

Which of the following is a limitation of the wave model of light?

Accepted Answer

It cannot fully explain the photoelectric effect

Answer

It cannot explain the polarization of light

Answer

It cannot explain the interference of light

Answer

It cannot explain the diffraction of light

Question 13

In total internal reflection, what is the critical angle?

Accepted Answer

The angle of incidence where total internal reflection starts

Answer

The angle of refraction where total internal reflection ends

Answer

The angle where the refracted ray is perpendicular to the boundary

Question 14

Which factor primarily determines the speed of a wave?

Accepted Answer

Medium through which it propagates

Answer

Amplitude of the wave

Answer

Wavelength of the wave

Answer

Frequency of the wave

Question 15

When a wave encounters a fixed boundary, what phenomenon occurs?

Accepted Answer

Reflection

Answer

Refraction

Answer

Interference

Answer

Diffraction

Question 16

Which term describes the bending of waves around obstacles?

Accepted Answer

Diffraction

Answer

Polarization

Answer

Reflection

Answer

Refraction

Question 17

Which property is unique to electromagnetic waves?

Accepted Answer

Can propagate in a vacuum

Answer

Exhibit interference and diffraction

Answer

Travel at a constant speed

Answer

Transport energy

Question 18

What phenomenon causes a wave to change direction when passing from one medium to another?

Accepted Answer

Refraction

Answer

Diffraction

Answer

Interference

Answer

Reflection

Question 19

Which type of wave involves oscillations parallel to the direction of propagation?

Accepted Answer

Longitudinal wave

Answer

Surface wave

Answer

Standing wave

Answer

Transverse wave

Question 20

The amplitude of a wave is directly proportional to its:

Accepted Answer

Energy

Answer

Speed

Answer

Wavelength

Answer

Frequency