Waves: A Comprehensive Guide for Twelfth Grade Science Students

Question 1

Which factor primarily determines the speed of a wave?

Accepted Answer

Wavelength and medium

Answer

Wavelength and amplitude

Answer

Frequency and amplitude

Answer

Medium and frequency

Question 2

What type of wave exhibits constant amplitude and minimal dispersion?

Accepted Answer

Plane wave

Answer

Transverse wave

Answer

Longitudinal wave

Answer

Standing wave

Question 3

What is the term for the change in frequency of a wave as it moves towards or away from an observer?

Accepted Answer

Doppler effect

Answer

Refraction

Answer

Diffraction

Answer

Superposition

Question 4

Which type of wave is characterized by particle vibrations perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation?

Accepted Answer

Transverse wave

Answer

Longitudinal wave

Answer

Surface wave

Answer

Standing wave

Question 5

Holograms create images by utilizing which wave principle?

Accepted Answer

Interference

Answer

Reflection

Answer

Refraction

Answer

Diffraction

Question 6

According to the superposition principle, when two waves meet, they:

Accepted Answer

Interfere with each other, resulting in a combined wave pattern.

Answer

Cancel each other out completely.

Answer

Always create a new wave with a higher frequency.

Answer

Reflect off each other at an angle.

Question 7

Electromagnetic waves are distinguished by their ability to:

Accepted Answer

Travel through a vacuum

Answer

Propagate only in the presence of a medium

Answer

Have a fixed speed that depends on the medium

Answer

Exhibit longitudinal wave characteristics

Question 8

Wave frequency is measured in:

Accepted Answer

Hertz

Answer

Meters

Answer

Seconds

Answer

Joules

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT a type of standing wave?

Accepted Answer

Traveling wave

Answer

Fundamental mode

Answer

First harmonic

Answer

Second harmonic

Question 10

How does the wave-particle duality of light show up in the photoelectric effect and double-slit experiment?

Accepted Answer

In the photoelectric effect, light acts like particles, while in the double-slit experiment, it shows wave-like interference.

Answer

Both the photoelectric effect and double-slit experiment show light's wave-like properties.

Answer

Both the photoelectric effect and double-slit experiment show light's particle-like properties.

Question 11

In fiber optics, which principle enables light to travel through the cable with minimal loss?

Accepted Answer

Total Internal Reflection

Answer

Diffraction

Answer

Refraction

Answer

Dispersion

Question 12

In the formation of a rainbow, which type of interference creates the visible bands of color?

Accepted Answer

Constructive

Answer

Destructive

Answer

Diffraction

Answer

Refraction

Question 13

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

Accepted Answer

Volume

Answer

Frequency

Answer

Amplitude

Answer

Wavelength

Question 14

Which type of wave exhibits particle vibrations perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation?

Accepted Answer

Transverse wave

Answer

Longitudinal wave

Answer

Surface wave

Answer

Seismic wave

Question 15

When two waves of equal frequency and amplitude interfere constructively, what is the resulting wave's amplitude?

Accepted Answer

Double the amplitude

Answer

Half the amplitude

Answer

Zero amplitude

Answer

Equal to the original amplitude

Question 16

Which of the following is an example of a wave that does not require a medium?

Accepted Answer

An electromagnetic wave

Answer

A wave on a vibrating guitar string

Answer

A wave traveling across a still pond

Answer

A wave traveling through the ocean

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT classified as an electromagnetic wave?

Accepted Answer

Ultrasound waves

Answer

Radio waves

Answer

Light waves

Answer

X-rays

Question 18

The speed of light in a vacuum is approximately:

Accepted Answer

3 x 10^8 m/s

Answer

3 x 10^5 m/s

Answer

3 x 10^2 m/s

Answer

3 x 10^-5 m/s

Question 19

Which device is commonly used to detect and measure electromagnetic waves?

Accepted Answer

Radio antenna

Answer

Microscope

Answer

Thermometer

Answer

Barometer

Question 20

Which of the following is not a characteristic of a mechanical wave?

Accepted Answer

Can travel through a vacuum

Answer

Requires a medium for propagation

Answer

Can be transverse or longitudinal

Answer

Transmits energy without transporting matter

Question 21

The wave speed is directly proportional to

Accepted Answer

Wavelength and frequency

Answer

Only wavelength

Answer

Only frequency

Answer

Amplitude and frequency

Question 22

Which of the following accurately describes the bending of a wave around an obstacle?

Accepted Answer

Diffraction

Answer

Refraction

Answer

Polarization

Answer

Interference

Question 23

According to the superposition principle, when two or more waves overlap, they

Accepted Answer

Create interference patterns

Answer

Always cancel each other out

Answer

Always reinforce each other

Answer

Remain independent of each other

Question 24

Which property is unique to electromagnetic waves?

Accepted Answer

Can travel through a vacuum

Answer

Transverse displacement

Answer

Require a medium for propagation

Answer

Have a longitudinal displacement

Question 25

Wave frequency is measured in

Accepted Answer

Hertz

Answer

Meters per second

Answer

Newtons

Answer

Joules

Question 26

Standing waves are formed when

Accepted Answer

A wave is reflected at a boundary

Answer

Two waves with the same frequency travel in the same direction

Answer

Two waves with different frequencies interfere

Answer

A wave travels through a medium with a varying index of refraction

Question 27

Polarization refers to the

Accepted Answer

Direction of wave vibration

Answer

Speed of a wave

Answer

Amplitude of a wave

Answer

Frequency of a wave

Question 28

Which technology utilizes the principles of reflection and refraction?

Accepted Answer

Optical fiber communication

Answer

MRI scans

Answer

Solar panels

Answer

Electric motors

Question 29

Which of the following is not a characteristic of waves?

Accepted Answer

Require a medium to propagate

Answer

Transfer energy

Answer

Have a well-defined frequency

Answer

Can be polarized

Question 30

What type of wave is produced when a vibrating object disturbs a medium, causing particles to oscillate perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation?

Accepted Answer

Transverse wave

Answer

Longitudinal wave

Answer

Surface wave

Answer

Seismic wave

Question 31

Which of the following factors does NOT affect the speed of a wave in a medium?

Accepted Answer

Magnetic permeability of the medium

Answer

Density of the medium

Answer

Elasticity of the medium

Answer

Temperature of the medium

Question 32

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

Accepted Answer

Waves on a guitar string

Answer

Waves in a swimming pool

Answer

Waves in an open field

Answer

Waves on the ocean

Question 33

Which of the following applications of waves is NOT related to medical imaging?

Accepted Answer

Radar

Answer

Ultrasound

Answer

X-rays

Answer

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Question 34

In the photoelectric effect, electromagnetic radiation exhibits wave-particle duality. How does this occur?

Accepted Answer

Electromagnetic radiation acts as both a wave and a particle.

Answer

Electromagnetic radiation only behaves as a wave.

Answer

Electromagnetic radiation only exhibits particle-like behavior.

Answer

The photoelectric effect does not demonstrate wave-particle duality.

Question 35

How does wave polarization enhance communication in fiber optics and radio transmission?

Accepted Answer

Polarization minimizes signal interference, ensuring efficient transmission.

Answer

Polarization has no effect on wave transmission in these technologies.

Answer

Polarization only influences the speed of wave propagation.

Question 36

Which of the following waves is NOT a transverse wave?

Accepted Answer

Sound wave

Answer

Light wave

Answer

Seismic wave (S-wave)

Answer

Water wave

Question 37

The amplitude of a wave represents:

Accepted Answer

The maximum displacement from the equilibrium position

Answer

The distance between two adjacent crests

Answer

The speed at which the wave travels

Answer

The number of waves passing a point in one second

Question 38

When two waves with the same amplitude and frequency travel in opposite directions, they:

Accepted Answer

Interfere constructively and destructively, forming a standing wave

Answer

Move independently without interference

Answer

Interfere only constructively, resulting in double the amplitude

Answer

Interfere only destructively, resulting in complete cancellation

Question 39

The refractive index of a medium is a measure of:

Accepted Answer

The ratio of the speed of light in vacuum to the speed of light in the medium

Answer

The wavelength of the light in the medium

Answer

The angle of incidence to the angle of refraction

Question 40

The principle of superposition states that:

Accepted Answer

When multiple waves overlap at the same point, their resulting displacement is the algebraic sum of their individual displacements

Answer

The energy of a wave is proportional to its amplitude squared

Answer

The speed of a wave is inversely proportional to its wavelength

Question 41

Which of the following materials is the best conductor of sound waves?

Accepted Answer

Metal

Answer

Water

Answer

Air

Answer

Wood

Question 42

The Doppler effect is the change in frequency of a wave due to:

Accepted Answer

The relative motion between the source and the observer

Answer

The change in wavelength of the wave in the direction of propagation

Answer

The change in amplitude of the wave

Question 43

What is the relationship between the speed (v), wavelength (λ), and frequency (f) of a wave?

Accepted Answer

v = λf

Answer

v = f/λ

Answer

v = λ^2 f

Answer

v = fλ

Question 44

Which type of wave is produced when a vibrating object causes particles in a medium to move perpendicularly to the direction of wave propagation?

Accepted Answer

Transverse wave

Answer

Longitudinal wave

Answer

Standing wave

Answer

Surface wave

Question 45

What is the Doppler effect?

Accepted Answer

The apparent change in frequency or wavelength of a wave due to the relative motion between the source and observer.

Answer

The interference of two waves.

Answer

The reflection of a wave off a surface.

Question 46

What is the principle of superposition for waves?

Accepted Answer

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

Answer

The speed of a wave is always constant.

Answer

The amplitude of a wave is inversely proportional to its frequency.

Question 47

What is the relationship between the intensity (I) of a wave and its amplitude (A)?

Accepted Answer

I ∝ A^2

Answer

I ∝ 1/A^2

Answer

I ∝ A