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Wave Laws in Physics Trivia Quiz

This quiz covers laws and properties of waves of the scientific kind.

A multiple-choice quiz by SmoothBrain. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
SmoothBrain

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
406,262

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
173

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. When a beam of white light experiences dispersion, the result is light which shows all of the colors in a rainbow. Through which device is this most commonly demonstrated? Hint

a prism

a prindle

a pringle

a primaquine

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Question 2 of 10

2. Throwing a rock into the middle of a pond will produce a series of ripples, or small waves. Which of the following is the best categorization of this type of wave? Hint

gravitational wave

seismic wave

standing wave

gravity wave

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Question 3 of 10

3. The peak distance of a wave from the equalibrium position is known by what term? Hint

period

frequency

amplitude

wavelength

4. Viewing an eclipse, casting a shadow, and observing a partially submerged object changing its visual shape are all experiments that can be done to observe rectilinear propagation of light waves. What does rectilinear propagation of light mean? Hint

The tendency for light waves to travel in a straight line

The tendency for light waves to emit an odor

The tendency for light waves to seek out a rectangle

The tendency for light waves to stop travelling when observed

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Question 5 of 10

5. When standing and unmoving as a police car goes by with their siren on, you'll hear a change in the pitch of the siren. This observed change of frequency in relation to position of a sound wave is an effect named after what Austrian physicist? Hint

Christian Doppler

Robert Boyle

Antoine Lavoisier

Otto Hahn

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Question 6 of 10

6. When a wave travels from one material into another, the speed or phase velocity can often change. What best describes this phenomenon? Hint

reflection

magna fluctus

diffraction

refraction

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which of the following waves can typically be terrestrially observed the farthest away from the broadcast source due to the low frequency which reflects off the atmospheric layer around the earth? Hint

television waves

citizen's band (CB) waves

FM radio waves

AM radio waves

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Question 8 of 10

8. An equation was published in 1926 addressing the wave function of a quantum mechanics system, and was considered to be a very important breakthrough in the field. Who proposed this equation and would go on to win the Nobel prize in 1933, possibly celebrating the award with his cat? Hint

Gregor Mandel

Carl Linneaus

Erwin Schr�dinger

Alexander von Humboldt

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Question 9 of 10

9. An electromagnetic wave consists of an electric wave combined with a magnetic wave. What property is true about these two waves? Hint

They always travel at right angles to each of the oscillations

They always have the same frequency

They are always invisible to the naked eye

They cannot be produced in a vacuum

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Question 10 of 10

10. A fighter pilot that breaks the sound barrier will produce a sonic boom. In general, when a wave moves faster than the speed of sound, what is the term for the wave? Hint

mutsu wave

trofie wave

dementor wave

shock wave

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. When a beam of white light experiences dispersion, the result is light which shows all of the colors in a rainbow. Through which device is this most commonly demonstrated?

Answer: a prism

A prism is the device most commonly used; the famous artwork for the cover of the Pink Floyd album 'The Dark Side of The Moon' demonstrates this effect. Primaquine is a medicine used to treat malaria, a Pringle is an individual potato snack marketed by Kellogg's, and prindle is the pronunciation for the initials that make up the gears on an automatic transmission (park, reverse, neutral, drive, and low [gear]).

2. Throwing a rock into the middle of a pond will produce a series of ripples, or small waves. Which of the following is the best categorization of this type of wave?

Answer: gravity wave

Gravity waves occur when a force like gravity slowly restores balance to a surface. Gravitational waves, on the other hand, are found in the curvature of spacetime and travel at the speed of light. A standing wave stays in place as a result of two equal waves traveling in opposite directions and cancelling each other. Seismic waves travel through the Earth's surface as a result of a large disturbance such as an earthquake or volcanic eruption.

3. The peak distance of a wave from the equalibrium position is known by what term?

Answer: amplitude

The amplitude describes the distance of a wave from the equalibrium state. The period is the length of a full wave measured in time while wavelength is the full length measured in distance. Frequency is the number of wave crests passing a point in a specific time, often measured in hertz which represent one wave passing in one second.

Answer: The tendency for light waves to travel in a straight line

Light waves tend to travel in a straight line. When viewing the partially submerged object, it appears to bend in the water because the density of air and water are different, and therefore the speed of light is different in each medium.

Answer: Christian Doppler

Christian Doppler originally stated this phenomenon as a way to explain the color of binary stars, first described in 1842. The other choices are scientists known more for their works in chemistry rather than wave physics.

6. When a wave travels from one material into another, the speed or phase velocity can often change. What best describes this phenomenon?

Answer: refraction

The amount of refraction that occurs is defined by the refractive index of the material. Reflection occurs when a wave bounces off a surface. Diffraction happens when a wave encounters an obstacle and its path is disturbed. Magna fluctus is the Latin phrase for a large wave.

Answer: AM radio waves

AM radio waves operate at less than 1.7 megahertz and will reflect off the atmosphere. With enough power, these waves can be heard quite a distance away. CB (around 27 MHz), TV (54 MHz for Channel 2), and FM (88 to 108 MHz) will not travel as far, but they are less prone to distortion or static from other interfering waves.

Answer: Erwin Schr�dinger

Schr�dinger is famously associated with a quantum mechanics thought experiment involving a cat in a closed box which is both simultaneously alive and dead. The other answers were scientists more known for their contributions in the scientific specialty of botany, the study of plants.

9. An electromagnetic wave consists of an electric wave combined with a magnetic wave. What property is true about these two waves?

Answer: They always travel at right angles to each of the oscillations

Scottish mathematician and physicist James Clerk Maxwell proved in the 19th century, using a vacuum, that light is an electromagnetic wave. Radio, ultraviolet, x-rays, and visible light are all examples of electromagnetic waves.

10. A fighter pilot that breaks the sound barrier will produce a sonic boom. In general, when a wave moves faster than the speed of sound, what is the term for the wave?

Answer: shock wave

Shock waves cause great disturbance to the medium they travel through. A dementor is a dark creature from the world of Harry Potter. Mutsu is a type of apple which genetically grows lopsided. Trofie is a type of short, rolled pasta often served with pesto.

Source: Author SmoothBrain

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