Question 1

Which of the following best describes a transverse wave?

Accepted Answer

A wave in which the displacement is perpendicular to the direction of travel.

Question 2

A sound wave traveling through air is an example of which type of wave?

Accepted Answer

Longitudinal wave

Question 3

The speed of a wave on a stretched string is given by $$v = \sqrt{\frac{T_s}{\mu}}. If $$the tension $$T_s is $$quadrupled, what happens to the wave speed?

Accepted Answer

It doubles.

Question 4

Which of the following quantities is defined as the number of oscillations per second?

Accepted Answer

Frequency

Question 5

A snapshot graph shows:

Accepted Answer

Wave displacement versus position at a specific instant of time.

Question 6

A sinusoidal wave has a wavelength $$\lambda = 2 m $$and a period $$T = 1 s. $$What is its speed?

Accepted Answer

$$v = 2 m/s$$

Question 7

Which of the following is true about the frequency of a wave as it passes from air into glass?

Accepted Answer

The frequency remains the same.

Question 8

The Doppler effect explains why:

Accepted Answer

The pitch of an ambulance siren drops as it passes by you.

Question 9

If the intensity of a sound increases by a factor of 100, by how many decibels does the sound intensity level increase?

Accepted Answer

20 dB

Question 10

A wave on a string is described by $$D(x, t) = A \sin(kx - \omega t + \$$phi_0$$). $$What is the speed of this wave?

Accepted Answer

$$v = \frac{\omega}{k}$$

Question 11

Which of the following best describes the energy transfer in a wave?

Accepted Answer

Waves transfer energy without transferring matter.

Question 12

A light wave travels from air ($$n = 1.0) $$into water ($$n = 1.33). $$What happens to its wavelength?

Accepted Answer

It decreases.

Question 13

The phase difference $$\Delta \phi$$ between two points separated by a distance $$\Delta x on a $$wave with wavelength $$\lambda is$$:

Accepted Answer

$$\Delta \phi = 2\pi \frac{\Delta x}{\lambda}$$

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT a property used to characterize a wave?

Accepted Answer

Mass

Question 15

A string has a mass of 0.10 kg and a length of 2.0 m. What is its linear density $$\mu$$?

Accepted Answer

$$\mu = 0.05 kg/m$$

Question 16

Which of the following statements about electromagnetic waves is correct?

Accepted Answer

They are oscillations of the electromagnetic field.

Question 17

A history graph for a wave shows:

Accepted Answer

Displacement versus time at a fixed position.

Question 18

If a wave pulse on a string is to travel twice as fast, by what factor must the tension in the string be increased?

Accepted Answer

By a factor of 4

Question 19

Which of the following is the correct expression for the wave number $$k$$?

Accepted Answer

$$k = \frac{2\pi}{\lambda}$$

Question 20

A spherical wave radiates uniformly in all directions from a point source. The intensity $$I at a $$distance $$r$$ from the source is:

Accepted Answer

$$I = \frac{P}{4\pi r^2$}$$

Traveling Waves: Fundamental Concepts and Applications

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