Midterm Review Exam Name:______

1. The diagram below represents a transverse wave. 4. The graph below represents the displacement of a
particle in a medium over a period of time.

The wavelength of the wave is equal to the distance

between points
A) A and G B) B and F
C) C and E D) D and F
2. Which wave diagram has both wavelength ( ) and
amplitude (A) labeled correctly? The amplitude of the wave is
A) A) 4.0 s B) 6.0 s C) 8 cm D) 4 cm
5. When a wave travels through a medium, the wave
transfers
A) mass, only
B) B) energy, only
C) both mass and energy
D) neither mass nor energy
6. If monochromatic light passes from water into air
C) with an angle incidence of 35°, which characteristic
of the light will remain the same?
A) frequency B) wavelength
C) speed D) direction
D) 7. Transverse waves are to radio waves as longitudinal
waves are to
A) light waves B) microwaves
C) ultraviolet waves D) sound waves

3. The energy of a sound wave is most closely related to

the wave's
A) frequency B) amplitude
C) wavelength D) speed
 Base your answers to questions 8 through 10 on the
diagram of a Slinky spring shown below.

8. The interval representing one wavelength is

A) AB B) AC C) AD D) AE
9. The points that represent condensations are
A) A and B B) A and C
C) B and C D) B and D
10. The type of wave represented on the Slinky is a
A) longitudinal wave
B) light wave
C) transverse wave
D) water wave

11. The diagram below represents the wave fronts produced by a point source moving to the right in a
uniform medium. Observers are located at points A and B.

Compared to the wave frequency and wavelength observed at point A, the wave observed at point B
has a
A) higher frequency and a shorter wavelength
B) higher frequency and a longer wavelength
C) lower frequency and a shorter wavelength
D) lower frequency and a longer wavelength
12. What is the period of a sound wave having a 19. A periodic wave having a frequency of 5.0 hertz and
frequency of 340. hertz? a speed of 10. meters per second has a wavelength of
A) B) A) 0.50 m B) 2.0 m
C) D) C) 5.0 m D) 50. m
13. A physics student takes her pulse and determines 20. A stationary police officer directs radio waves
that her heart beats periodically 60 times in 60 emitted by a radar gun at a vehicle moving toward
seconds. The period of her heartbeat is the officer. Compared to the emitted radio waves,
the radio waves reflected from the vehicle and
A) 1 Hz B) 60 Hz
received by the radar gun have a
C) 1 s D) 60 s
A) longer wavelength B) higher speed
14. While sitting in a boat, a fisherman observes that
C) longer period D) higher frequency
two complete waves pass by his position every 4
seconds. What is the period of these waves? 21. In the diagram below, a stationary source located at
point S produces sound having a constant frequency
A) 0.5 s B) 2 s C) 8 s D) 4 s
of 512 hertz. Observer A, 50. meters to the left of S,
15. What is the period of a wave if 20 crests pass an hears a frequency of 512 hertz. Observer B, 100.
observer in 4 seconds? meters to the right of S, hears a frequency lower than
A) 80 s B) 0.2 s C) 5 s D) 4 s 512 hertz.

16. A boy pushes his sister on a swing. What is the

frequency of oscillation of his sister on the swing if
the boy counts 90. complete swings in 300. seconds?
A) 0.30 Hz B) 2.0 Hz
C) 1.5 Hz D) 18 Hz Which statement best describes the motion of the
17. The hertz is a unit that describes the number of observers?
A) seconds it takes to complete one cycle of a A) Observer A is moving toward point S, and
wave observer B is stationary.
B) cycles of a wave completed in one second B) Observer A is moving away from point S, and
C) points that are in phase along one meter of a observer B is stationary.
wave C) Observer A is stationary, and observer B is
D) points that are out of phase along one meter of moving toward point S.
a wave D) Observer A is stationary, and observer B is
moving away from point S.
18. The diagram below represents a periodic wave
traveling through a uniform medium. 22. What is characteristic of both sound waves and
electromagnetic waves?
A) They require a medium.
B) They transfer energy.
C) They are mechanical waves.
D) They are longitudinal waves.

If the frequency of the wave is 2.0 hertz, the speed

of the wave is
A) 6.0 m/s B) 2.0 m/s
C) 8.0 m/s D) 4.0 m/s
23. A television remote control is used to direct pulses of 27. The diagram below shows wave fronts spreading
electromagnetic radiation to a receiver on a into the region behind a barrier.
television. This communication from the remote
control to the television illustrates that
electromagnetic radiation
A) is a longitudinal wave
B) possesses energy inversely proportional to its
frequency
C) diffracts and accelerates in air
D) transfers energy without transferring mass
Which wave phenomenon is represented in the
24. A single vibratory disturbance moving through a
diagram?
medium is called
A) reflection B) refraction
A) a node B) an antinode
C) diffraction D) standing waves
C) a standing wave D) a pulse
25. A series of pulses generated at regular time intervals
in an elastic medium will produce
A) nodes B) antinodes
C) a polarized wave D) a periodic wave
26. The diagram below shows a series of wave fronts
approaching an opening in a barrier. Point P is
located on the opposite side of the barrier.

The wave fronts reach point P as a result of

A) resonance B) refraction
C) reflection D) diffraction
28. Which diagram below best represents the phenomenon of diffraction?
A) B)

C) D)

29. The diagram below shows straight wave fronts 32. What is the frequency of a light wave with a
passing through an opening in a barrier. wavelength of 6.0 × 10 –7 meter traveling through
space?
A) 2.0 × 10 –15 Hz B) 5.0 × 10 1 Hz
C) 1.8 × 10 14 Hz D) 5.0 × 10 14 Hz
33. When x-ray radiation and infrared radiation are
traveling in a vacuum, they have the same
A) speed B) frequency
C) wavelength D) energy per photon
34. In a vacuum, all electromagnetic waves have the
This wave phenomenon is called
same
A) reflection B) refraction
A) speed B) phase
C) polarizaton D) diffraction
C) frequency D) wavelength
30. The diagram below shows a wave phenomenon.
35. Which phenomenon provides evidence that light has
a wave nature?
A) emission of light from an energy-level
transition in a hydrogen atom
B) diffraction of light passing through a narrow
opening
The pattern of waves shown behind the barriers is C) absorption of light by a black sheet of paper
the result of D) reflection of light from a mirror
A) reflection B) diffraction 36. Which phenomenon is best explained by the wave
C) refraction D) absorption theory?
31. Orange light has a frequency of 5.0 × 10 14 hertz in a A) reflection
vacuum. What is the wavelength of this light? B) illumination
A) 1.5 × 10 23m B) 1.7 × 10 6m C) interference
C) 6.0 × 10 –7 m D) 2.0 × 10 –15 m D) the photoelectric effect
37. Diffraction of light demonstrates that light 42. The diagram below represents two identical pulses
approaching each other in a uniform medium.
A) can be polarized
B) has wave properties
C) can be reflected
D) is composed of tiny units of energy
38. The diagram below shows sunglasses being used to
eliminate glare.

Which phenomenon of light is represented in the

diagram?
As the pulses meet and are superposed, the
A) dispersion B) diffraction maximum displacement of the medium is
C) internal reflection D) polarization A) –6 cm B) 0 cm
39. A light wave strikes the Moon and reflects toward C) 3 cm D) 6 cm
Earth. As the light wave travels from the Moon
toward Earth, the wave carries
A) energy, only
B) matter, only
C) both energy and matter
D) neither energy nor matter
40. A gamma ray photon and a microwave photon are
traveling in a vacuum. Compared to the wavelength
and energy of the gamma ray photon, the microwave
photon has a
A) shorter wavelength and less energy
B) shorter wavelength and more energy
C) longer wavelength and less energy
D) longer wavelength and more energy
41. The effect produced when two or more sound waves
pass through the same point simultaneously is called
A) interference B) diffraction
C) refraction D) resonance
43. The diagram below shows two waves traveling toward each other at equal speed in a uniform
medium.

When both waves are in the region between points A and B, they will undergo
A) diffraction B) the Doppler effect
C) destructive interference D) constructive interference
44. Two speakers, S 1 and S 2, operating in phase in the 45. The diagram below shows two waves traveling in
same medium produce the circular wave patterns the same medium. Points A, B, C, and D are located
shown in the diagram below. along the rest position of the medium. The waves
interfere to produce a resultant wave.

At which two points is constructive interference

occurring?
A) A and B B) A and D
C) B and C D) B and D
The superposition of the waves produces the greatest
positive displacement of the medium from its rest
position at point
A) A B) B C) C D) D
46. The diagram below represents a periodic wave.

Which two points on the wave are out of phase?

A) A and C B) B and F C) C and E D) D and G
47. The diagram below represents a periodic wave. 50. The diagram below represents a standing wave.

The number of nodes and antinodes shown in the

diagram is
A) 4 nodes and 5 antinodes
B) 5 nodes and 6 antinodes
Which point on the wave is 90° out of phase with
C) 6 nodes and 5 antinodes
point P?
D) 6 nodes and 10 antinodes
A) A B) B C) C D) D
48. Two waves having the same amplitude and
frequency are traveling in the same medium.
Maximum destructive interference will occur when
the phase difference between the waves is
A) 0° B) 90° C) 180° D) 270°
49. The diagram below represents a standing wave in a string.

Maximum constructive interference occurs at the

A) antinodes A, C, and E B) nodes A, C, and E
C) antinodes B and D D) nodes B and D
51. The diagram below shows a standing wave in a 54. The diagram below shows a light ray striking a plane
string clamped at each end. mirror.

What is the total number of nodes and antinodes in

the standing wave?
A) 3 nodes and 2 antinodes What is the angle of reflection?
B) 2 nodes and 3 antinodes A) 30 ° B) 60° C) 90° D) 120°
C) 5 nodes and 4 antinodes 55. The diagram below represents a view from above of
D) 4 nodes and 5 antinodes a tank of water in which parallel wave fronts are
52. While playing, two children create a standing wave traveling toward a barrier.
in a rope, as shown in the diagram below. A third
child participates by jumping the rope.

What is the wavelength of this standing wave?

A) 2.15 m B) 4.30 m
C) 6.45 m D) 8.60 m
53. Two waves traveling in the same medium and
having the same wavelength ( ) interfere to create a Which arrow represents the direction of travel for
standing wave. What is the distance between two the wave fronts after being reflected from the
consecutive nodes on this standing wave? barrier?
A) B) C) D) A) A B) B C) C D) D
56. The diagram below represents a light ray reflecting 60. Base your answer to the following question on the
from a plane mirror. information and diagram below and on your
knowledge of physics.

One end of a long spring is attached to a wall.

A student vibrates the other end of the spring
vertically, creating a wave that moves to the wall
and reflects back toward the student, resulting in
a standing wave in the spring, as a represented
below.
The angle of reflection for the light ray is
A) 25° B) 35° C) 50.° D) 65°
57. The diagram below represents a light ray striking the
boundary between air and glass.

What is the total number of antinodes on the standing

wave in the diagram?
A) 6 B) 2 C) 3 D) 4
61. What is the angle of incidence of the light ray shown
below?

What would be the angle between this light ray and

its reflected ray?
A) 30.° B) 60.° C) 120.° D) 150.°
58. A ray of monochromatic light traveling in air is A) 30° B) 60° C) 90° D) 150°
incident on a plane mirror at an angle of 30.°, as
shown in the diagram below. 62. The diagram below shows parallel rays of light
incident on an irregular surface.

Which phenomenon of light is illustrated by the

diagram?

The angle of reflection for the light ray is A) diffraction B) refraction

C) regular reflection D) diffuse reflection
A) 15° B) 30.° C) 60.° D) 90.°
63. When a student looks into a plane mirror, she sees a
59. A ray of light strikes a plane mirror at an angle of virtual image of herself. However, when she looks
incidence equal to 35º. The angle between the into a sheet of paper, no such image forms. Which
incident ray and the reflected ray is light phenomenon occurs at the surface of the paper?
A) 0º B) 35º C) 55º D) 70º A) regular reflection B) diffuse reflection
C) polarization D) resonance
64. The diagram below shows light rays in air about to 68. Reducing the distance between the slits by one-half
strike a glass window. would cause the distance between the bright lines in
the interference pattern to
A) remain the same B) double
C) halve D) quadruple
69. What is the color of the light?
A) red B) orange
C) green D) violet

When the rays reach the boundary between the air

and the glass, the light is
A) totally refracted
B) totally reflected
C) partially reflected and partially diffracted
D) partially reflected and partially refracted
65. A wave passes through an opening in a barrier. The
amount of diffraction experienced by the wave
depends on the size of the opening and the wave’s
A) amplitude B) wavelength
C) velocity D) phase
66. An interference pattern is observed as light passes
through two closely spaced slits. As the distance
between the two slits is decreased, the distance
between adjacent bright bands in the interference
pattern
A) decreases B) increases
C) remains the same
Base your answers to questions 67 through 69 on the
information below.

Light of wavelength 5.4 × 10–7 meter shines

through two narrow slits 4.0 × 10–4 meter apart
onto a screen 2.0 meters away from the slit.
67. Changing the color of the light used to a color with a
higher frequency would cause the distance between
the bright lines in the interference pattern to
A) decrease B) increase
C) remain the same
 Base your answers to questions 70 through 72 on
the diagram and the information below.

Red light passing through a double slit is producing a stationary interference pattern on a screen as
shown on the diagram.

70. If a single slit with the same width (W) as one of the double slits were used, the width of the central
maximum of the interference pattern on the screen would
A) decrease B) increase
C) remain the same
71. If blue light were substituted for the red light source, the distance X between the bright lines of the
pattern on the screen would
A) decrease B) increase
C) remain the same
72. If the distance L from the slits to the screen were increased, the distance X between the bright lines of
the pattern on the screen would
A) decrease B) increase
C) remain the same
73. The diagram below represents shallow water waves 76. A wave is diffracted as it passes through an opening
of constant wavelength passing through two small in a barrier. The amount of diffraction that the wave
openings, A and B, in a barrier. undergoes depends on both the
A) amplitude and frequency of the incident wave
B) wavelength and speed of the incident wave
C) wavelength of the incident wave and the size
of the opening
D) amplitude of the incident wave and the size of
the opening

Which statement best describes the interference at

point P?
A) It is constructive, and causes a longer
wavelength.
B) It is constructive, and causes an increase in
amplitude.
C) It is destructive, and causes a shorter
wavelength.
D) It is destructive, and causes a decrease in
amplitude.
74. The diagram below represents shallow water waves
of wavelength passing through two small
openings, A and B, in a barrier.

How much longer is the length of path AP than the

length of path BP?
A) 1 B) 2 C) 3 D) 4
75. Parallel wave fronts incident on an opening in a
barrier are diffracted. For which combination of
wavelength and size of opening will diffraction
effects be greatest?
A) short wavelength and narrow opening
B) short wavelength and wide opening
C) long wavelength and narrow opening
D) long wavelength and wide opening
77. When a ray of light traveling in water reaches a 78. A ray of light (f = 5.09 10 14 Hz) traveling in air is
boundary with air, part of the light ray is reflected incident at an angle of 40.° on an air-crown glass
and part is refracted. Which ray diagram best interface as shown below.
represents the paths of the reflected and refracted
light rays?
A)

B) What is the angle of refraction for this light ray?

A) 25° B) 37° C) 40° D) 78
79. A ray of monochromatic light is incident on an
air-sodium chloride boundary as shown in the
diagram below. At the boundary, part of the ray is
reflected back into the air and part is refracted as it
enters the sodium chloride.

C)

D) Compared to the ray's angle of refraction in the

sodium chloride, the ray's angle of reflection in the
air is
A) smaller B) larger
C) the same
80. A laser beam is directed at the surface of a smooth, 82. A beam of monochromatic light (f = 5.09 10 14 hertz)
calm pond as represented in the diagram below. passes through parallel sections of glycerol, medium
X, and medium Y as shown in the diagram below.

Which organisms could be illuminated by the laser

light?
A) the bird and the fish
What could medium X and medium Y be?
B) the bird and the seaweed
C) the crab and the seaweed A) X could be flint glass and Y could be corn oil.
D) the crab and the fish B) X could be corn oil and Y could be flint glass.
81. The diagram below represents a ray of C) X could be water and Y could be glycerol.
monochromatic light ( = 5.09 × 10 14 Hz) passing D) X could be glycerol and Y could be water.
from medium X (n = 1.46) into fused quartz. 83. A straight glass rod appears to bend when placed in a
beaker of water, as shown in the diagram below.

Which path will the refracted ray follow in the What is the best explanation for this phenomenon?
quartz?
A) The water is warmer than the air.
A) A B) B C) C D) D B) Light travels faster in water than in air.
C) Light is reflected at the air-water interface.
D) Light is refracted as it crosses the air-water
interface.
84. If the speed of a wave doubles as it passes from 90. The speed of light in a piece of plastic is 2.00 × 108
shallow water into deeper water, its wavelength will meters per second. What is the absolute index of
be refraction of this plastic?
A) unchanged B) doubled A) 1.00 B) 0.670
C) halved D) quadrupled C) 1.33 D) 1.50
85. A change in the speed of a wave as it enters a new 91. Base your answer to the following question on the
medium produces a change in diagram below, which represents a light ray traveling
from air to Lucite to medium Y and back into air.
A) frequency B) period
C) wavelength D) phase
86. As a monochromatic light ray passes from air into
water, two characteristics of the ray that will not
change are
A) wavelength and period
B) frequency and period
C) wavelength and speed
D) frequency and speed
87. The diagram below represents wave fronts traveling
from medium X into medium Y.

Light travels slowest in

A) air, only
B) Lucite, only
All points on any one wave front shown must be C) medium Y, only
A) traveling with the same speed D) air, Lucite, and medium Y
B) traveling in the same medium 92. A beam of monochromatic light travels through flint
C) in phase glass, crown glass, Lucite, and water. The speed of
D) superposed the light beam is slowest in
88. The absolute index of refraction of medium Y is A) flint glass B) crown glass
twice as great as the absolute index of refraction of C) Lucite D) water
medium X. As a light ray travels from medium X
93. A light ray traveling in air enters a second medium
into medium Y, the speed of the light ray is
and its speed slows to 1.71 × 10 8 meters per second.
A) halved B) doubled What is the absolute index of refraction of the
C) quartered D) quadrupled second medium?
89. What is the speed of light (f = 5.09 × 10 14 Hz) in A) 1.00 B) 0.570
ethyl alcohol? C) 1.75 D) 1.94
A) 4.53 × 10 –9 m/s B) 2.43 × 10 2 m/s 94. A ray of light (f = 5.09 10 14 Hz) traveling in air
C) 1.24 × 10 8 m/s D) 2.21 × 10 8 m/s strikes a block of sodium chloride at an angle of
incidence of 30.°. What is the angle of refraction for
the light ray in the sodium chloride?
A) 19° B) 25° C) 40.° D) 49°
95. A ray of monochromatic light (f = 5.09 × 10 14 hertz) 103. A 512-hertz sound wave travels 100. meters to an
in air is incident at an angle of 30.° on a boundary observer through air at STP. What is the
with corn oil. What is the angle of refraction, to the wavelength of this sound wave?
nearest degree, for this light ray in the corn oil?
A) 0.195 m B) 0.646 m
A) 6° B) 20.° C) 30.° D) 47° C) 1.55 m D) 5.12 m
96. The total amount of electrical energy used by a 104. A person observes a fireworks display from a safe
315-watt television during 30.0 minutes of operation distance of 0.750 kilometer. Assuming that sound
is travels at 340. meters per second in air, what is the
A) B) time between the person seeing and hearing the
fireworks explosion?
C) D)
A) 0.453 s B) 2.21 s
97. What is the speed of light ( ¦ = 5.09 10 14 Hz) in
flint glass? C) 410. s D) 2.55 × 10 5 s
105. Glass may shatter when exposed to sound of a
A) 1.81 10 8 m/s B) 1.97 10 8 m/s
particular frequency. This phenomenon is an
C) 3.00 10 8 m/s D) 4.98 10 8 m/s
example of
98. The speed of a ray of light traveling through a
A) refraction B) diffraction
substance having an absolute index of refraction of
1.1 is C) resonance D) the Doppler effect
106. When air is blown across the top of an open water
A) 1.1 × 10 8 m/s B) 2.7 × 10 8 m/s
bottle, air molecules in the bottle vibrate at a
C) 3.0 × 10 8 m/s D) 3.3 × 10 8 m/s
particular frequency and sound is produced. This
99. A singer demonstrated that she could shatter a phenomenon is called
crystal glass by singing a note with a wavelength of
A) diffraction B) refraction
0.320 meter in air at STP. What was the natural
frequency of the glass? C) resonance D) the Doppler effect
107. One vibrating 256-hertz tuning fork transfers
A) 9.67 x 10 -4 Hz B) 1.05 x 10 2 Hz
energy to another 256-hertz tuning fork, causing
C) 1.03 x 10 3 Hz D) 9.38 x 10 8 Hz
the second tuning fork to vibrate. This phenomenon
100. If the amplitude of a sound wave is increased, there is an example of
is an increase in the sound's
A) diffraction B) reflection
A) loudness B) pitch C) refraction D) resonance
C) velocity D) wavelength
108. Ultrasound is a medical technique that transmits
101. Sound waves are described as sound waves through soft tissue in the human body.
Ultrasound waves can break kidney stones into tiny
A) mechanical and transverse
fragments, making it easier for them to be excreted
B) mechanical and longitudinal
without pain. The shattering of kidney stones with
C) electromagnetic and transverse specific frequencies of sound waves is an
D) electromagnetic and longitudinal application of which wave phenomenon?
102. At an outdoor physics demonstration, a delay of A) the Doppler effect B) reflection
0.50 seconds was observed between the time sound C) refraction D) resonance
waves left a loudspeaker and the time these sound
waves reached a student through the air. If the air is 109. Sound waves strike a glass and cause it to shatter.
at STP, how far was the student from the speaker? This phenomenon illustrates
A) 1.5 × 10 –3 m B) 1.7 × 10 2 m A) resonance B) refraction
C) 6.6 × 10 2 m D) 1.5 × 10 8 m C) reflection D) diffraction
110. What is the wavelength of a sound produced by a 116. A student blows air across the end of a pipe that is
tuning fork resonating with a 16 centimeter air tube open at both ends. If the wavelength of the note
that is open at both ends? produced was 1.4 meters, what was the length of
the pipe?
A) 128 cm B) 64 cm
C) 32 cm D) 24 cm A) 2.8 m B) 14 m
C) 0.70 m D) 0.35 m
111. A tuning fork resonates over an air tube 20
centimeters long that is closed at one end. The 117. Base your answer to the following question on on
wavelength of the sound produced by the tuning the diagram and information below. When a
fork is vibrating tuning fork is placed over an air column
16 centimeters long and closed on one end, the
A) 5 cm B) 20 cm
sound becomes louder.
C) 40 cm D) 80 cm
112. A closed pipe 2 meters long will produce a sound
wave having a wavelength of
A) 1 m B) 2 m C) 8 m D) 4 m
113. Compared to the length of a closed air column, the
wavelength of the sound which produces resonance
is
A) one-half as great
B) twice as great
C) one-fourth as great The wavelength of the sound produced is
D) four times as great
A) 64 cm B) 32 cm
114. A 2-meter tube closed at one end will produce a C) 16 cm D) 4.0 cm
sound wave whose wavelength is
A) 8 m B) 2 m
C) 0.5 m D) 4 m
115. The length of a vibrating air column is shortened.
The sound wave produced by the shortened air
column will have an increase in
A) frequency B) wavelength
C) amplitude D) speed
 Answer Key
Midterm Exam Review MC only

1. B 37. B 73. D 109. A

2. C 38. D 74. B 110. C
3. B 39. A 75. C 111. D
4. D 40. C 76. C 112. C
5. B 41. A 77. B 113. D
6. A 42. D 78. A 114. A
7. D 43. D 79. B 115. A
8. B 44. B 80. A 116. C
9. B 45. A 81. C 117. A
10. A 46. D 82. A
11. A 47. B 83. D
12. D 48. C 84. B
13. C 49. C 85. C
14. B 50. C 86. B
15. B 51. C 87. C
16. A 52. D 88. A
17. B 53. C 89. D
18. C 54. B 90. D
19. B 55. C 91. C
20. D 56. A 92. A
21. D 57. C 93. C
22. B 58. B 94. A
23. D 59. D 95. B
24. D 60. C 96. A
25. D 61. B 97. A
26. D 62. D 98. B
27. C 63. B 99. C
28. A 64. D 100. A
29. D 65. B 101. B
30. B 66. B 102. B
31. C 67. A 103. B
32. D 68. B 104. B
33. A 69. C 105. C
34. A 70. B 106. C
35. B 71. A 107. D
36. C 72. B 108. D