Physics

Wave Motion

536 Questions

Wave motion questions cover the principles of traveling and stationary waves, including their equations and intensities. The topics explore interference patterns, phase differences, and electromagnetic radiation speeds. Mastery of these concepts is vital for physics sections in engineering and civil services examinations.

Wave interferenceStanding wavesPhase differenceElectromagnetic radiationWave equations

Wave Motion Questions

Multiple choice

For a given power, which of the following statements is correct?

  1. Larger frequency waves travel longer distance than smaller frequency waves.

  2. Smaller frequency waves travel longer distance than larger frequency waves.

  3. Distance travelled by the wave depends on power and not on frequency of transmission.

  4. It can be either smaller frequency waves or larger frequency waves, which travel longer depending on the channel conditions.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

True as shorter frequency waves will travel longer distance. For e.g. FM radio waves travel more distance than IR waves.

Multiple choice

Consider the following statements:

  1. P - waves are analogous to light waves.
  2. S - waves are analogous to sound waves.
  3. P - waves travel faster in solid and slower in liquid medium.
  4. L - waves start after the interface of P and S waves on the surface.

Which of the above given statements is/are incorrect?

  1. Only 1 and 2

  2. Only 2 and 3

  3. Only 3 and 4

  4. Only 1 and 4
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

P-waves are the first to arrive, i.e. they travel fastest. These are 'push-pull' waves analogous to sound waves, in which each particle moves back and forth. S wave is the secondary wave. It is a transverse wave, which means the particles of its medium move at right angles to the energy that is being transferred. S waves are analogous to ocean waves, as the water molecules oscillate only up or down while the wave itself can move many miles from the origin.

Multiple choice

Which of the following relations is correct?

  1. Time period = 1/Frequency

  2. Time period = 1/Amplitude

  3. Time period = Frequency

  4. Time period = Amplitude

  5. Amplitude = Frequency
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Time period is inversely proportional to frequency of sound, the more the time period the lesser will be the frequency.

Multiple choice

The propagation of wave transfers

  1. energy only

  2. matter only

  3. mass at times and energy at other times

  4. both energy and mass simultaneously
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The propagation of wave transfers energy only.

Multiple choice

Match the following columns:

 
Column I
Column II
a. Wave amplitude 1. It is the time interval between two successive wave crests or troughs as they pass a fixed point.
b. Wave period 2. It is the horizontal distance between two successive crests.
c. Wave length 3. It is one-half of the wave height.

  1. a - 1, b - 3, c - 2

  2. a - 2, b - 1, c - 3

  3. a - 3, b - 2, c - 1

  4. a - 3, b - 1, c - 2

  5. a - 2, b - 1, c - 3
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct matching. 

Multiple choice

According to the wave equation, which of the following statements is correct about the velocity of sound waves?

  1. It is inversely proportional to frequency.

  2. It is inversely proportional to wavelength.

  3. It is directly proportional to wavelength and frequency.

  4. It is directly proportional to frequency and inversely proportional to wavelength.

  5. It is directly proportional to wavelength and inversely proportional to frequency.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Yes, it is the correct answer.

Multiple choice

Energy is not carried by

  1. transverse progressive wave

  2. longitudinal progressive wave

  3. stationary wave

  4. electromagnetic wave
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Energy is not carried by stationary wave. 

Multiple choice

In stationary waves,

  1. energy is uniformly distributed

  2. energy is maximum at nodes and minimum at antinodes

  3. energy is minimum at nodes and maximum at antinodes

  4. alternating maxima and minima of energy are produced at nodes and antinodes
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

In stationary waves, energy is maximum at nodes and minimum at antinodes.

Multiple choice

Transverse waves can propagate

  1. both in gas and metal

  2. in gas but not in metal

  3. in metal but not in gas

  4. neither in gas nor in metal
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Transverse waves require a medium with shear strength to propagate, which is a characteristic of solids like metals. In gases and liquids, the lack of rigid molecular bonds prevents the transmission of transverse motion, allowing only longitudinal waves. Therefore, transverse waves can travel through metals but not through gases.

Multiple choice

Transverse and longitudinal waves can be distinguished by studying the property of

  1. interference

  2. diffraction

  3. reflection

  4. polarization
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Polarization is a property unique to transverse waves, where the oscillations are restricted to a single plane perpendicular to the direction of travel. Longitudinal waves cannot be polarized because their oscillations occur along the same axis as the wave's propagation. Properties like interference, diffraction, and reflection are common to both types of waves.