Class: SM2( ) Physics Test (7) 17 – 07 – 2012

Name: ____________________( ) Ref.: T.A.Goh 60 minutes

Objective Questions for Waves, sound waves

Q1 What is the wavelength of a wave with a speed of 12 m/s and a frequency of 0.25 s –1?
E A. 0.25 m B. 1.5 m C. 3.0 m D. 24 m E. 48 m
Hint: v  f
v

f
12

0.25
 48 m

Q2 The displacement of a vibrating string versus position along the string is shown in Fig.Q2. The
periodic waves have a speed of 3.6 cm/s. A and B are two points on the string.
What is the amplitude of the wave?
A. 2 mm B. 4 mm C. 8 mm
D. 12 mm E. 16 mm
Hint: From the graph, maximum displacement (vertical axis) = 4 mm

Q3 Continue Q2, what is the wavelength of the wave?

A. 3.0 cm B. 6.0 cm C. 9.0 cm
D. 12 cm E. 15 cm
Hint: From the graph, horizontal axis = 6 cm

Q4 Continue Q2, what is the frequency of the wave?

A A. 0.60 Hz B. 0.90 Hz C. 1.1 Hz D. 1.3 Hz E. 1.7 Hz
Hint: v  f
v
f 

3.6

6
 0.6 Hz

Q5 Continue Q2, What is the difference in phase between the points A and B?
C A. (π/4) radians B. (π/2) radians C. π radians D. (3π/4) radians E. 2π radians
Hint: 2 

 x
2
   x

2
 3
6
  rad
Q6 A transverse wave is traveling along the positive direction of the negative x– axis (i.e. to the left) and
its waveform at certain instant is shown in Fig.Q6. The instantaneous velocity of a point P on the
trough of the wave at this instant is ________.
A A. having a upward direction
B. having a downward direction
C. having a direction towards the left
D. having a direction towards the right
E. zero Fig.Q6
Hint:

Fig.Q6
Q7 A periodic traveling wave is generated on a string.
Fig.Q7a shows the displacements of the particles
in the string as a function of the position x along
the string at t = 0 s. Fig.Q7b shows the
displacement of the particle at x = 0 m as a
function of time. The particle positions are
measured from the left end of the string (x = 0 m)
and the wave pulses move to the right. Fig.Q7a
What is the wavelength of the wave?
D A. 0.005 m B. 0.010 m C. 0.015 m D. 0.020 m E. 0.025 m
Hint: From y – x graph, the horizontal axis,  = 0.02 m

Q8 Continue Q7, what is the minimum time required for the particles to return to their respective
positions at t = 0 s?
E A. 0.005 s B. 0.25 s C. 0.50 s D. 0.75 s E. 1.00 s
Hint: The minimum time required for the particles to return to their respective position is one period,
from the horizontal axis in y – t, T = 1.0 s

Q9 Continue Q7, what is the amplitude of the wave?

A A. 0.01 m B. 0.02 m C. 0.04 m D. 0.07 m E. 0.7 m
Hint: From either y – x or y - t graph, the vertical axis,  = 0.01 m

Q10 Continue Q7, determine the speed of the wave.

B A. 0.01 m/s B. 0.02 m/s C. 0.03 m/s D. 0.04 m/s E. 0.05 m/s
Hint: v  f


T
0.01

1
 0.01 ms -1
Q11 At any instant a wave travelling along the string is shown in Fig.Q11. Here, point 'A' is moving
upward. Which of the following statements is true?
B A. The wave is travelling to the right
B. The displacement amplitude of wave is equal to displacement of B at this instant
Fig.Q11
C. At this instant 'C' also directed upward.
D. None of these
Hint: A: Point A follows the vibration of particle on its left hand, the wave propagates from right to left.
B. The displacement of A is smaller than that of B, but their amplitude remains unchanged.
C. The particle at C is moving downward at this instant.

Q12 Fig.Q12 shows two waves. Find the phase difference between the y
two waves.
C A. ⅓  rad B. ½  rad 0 x
C. 7/4  rad D.  rad
Hint: The wave travels from left to right, The wave travels from left to right, Fig.Q12
2  2 
 
 x  x
2 1 2 7
       
 8  8
 7
 rad  rad
4 4

Q13 A wave is set up on a string as shown in Fig.Q13. Which of the followings is the instantaneous
motion of the particles P, Q and R? Direction of wave
C A. P Q R B. P Q R

C. P Q R D. P Q R Fig.Q13
Hint: Direction of wave
P
Q
R

Q14 If a wave be polarized, is must be a/an ___________.

B A. stationary wave B. transverse wave C. longitudinal wave D. sound wave
Hint: Only transverse wave can be polarized.

Q15 Which of the following cannot represent a travelling wave ?

D A. y = A cos (t + kx) B. y = A cos (ax + bt) C. y = Asin(x-vt) D. y=f(x2-vt2)
Hint: y  A sin(t  kx)
y  A cos(t  kx)
2 2
 A cos( t 
T  x)
2
 A cos( 2ft  x)


2 2
2f
y  A cos( 2ft  x)
f

 A sin( t  x)  A cos  (t 
1
v
x)


2f

T
2
y  A cos( t  x)
 
 A cos k (vt  x )

2
 A sin(2ft  x)

2f
y A sin(2ft  x)
f
1
 A sin  (t  x)
v
2f 2
y A sin( t x)
 
 A sin k (vt  x)

Q16 Of the three traveling waves listed below, which one(s) is(are) traveling in the +x direction?
(1) y = +3.2 sin [4.1t + 2.3x] (2) y = –6.8 sin [–3.0t + 1.5x] (3) y = +4.9 sin [12.0t + 18x]
B A. 1 only B. 2 only C. 3 only D. 1, 2, and 3 E. 2 and 3 only
Hint: y  A sin(t  kx)
or
y  A sin( kx  t )

Q17 A wave has an amplitude of 0.35 m, a frequency of 1.05 ×106 Hz, and travels in the positive x
direction at the speed of light, 3.00 ×108 m/s. Which one of the following equations correctly
represents this wave?
A A. y = 0.35 sin (6.60 ×106 t − 0.022x) D. y = 0.35 sin (286t + 1.05 ×106 x)
B. y = 0.35 sin (6.60 ×106 t + 0.022x) E. y = 0.35 sin (1.05 ×106 t + 3.00 ×108 x)
6
C. y = 0.35 sin (286t − 1.05 ×10 x)
Hint: y  A sin(t  kx )
2
 0.35 sin( 2  1.05  106 t  x)
3  108
1.05  106
 0.35 sin(6.60  106 t  0.022 x)

Q18 A transverse periodic wave is established on a string. The wave is described by the expression y =
0.005 sin(20.0x – 2πft) where y is in meters when x and t are in meters and seconds, respectively. If
the wave travels with a speed of 20.0 m/s, what is its frequency, f?
D A. 0.16 Hz B. 0.64 Hz C. 31.9 Hz D. 63.7 Hz E. 400 Hz
Hint: 2 v
 20 f 
 
 20
 m 
10 
10
 63.67 Hz
Q19 The displacement y of a wave traveling in the x-direction is given by y = 10–4 sin (600t–2x + π/3)
metres. where x is expressed in metres and t in seconds. The speed of the wave motion in ms–1 is
B A. 200 B. 300 C. 600 D. 1200
Hint: 2 2f  600 v  f
2
 300 300
  m f  m  
 
 300 ms -1
Q20 A traveling wave in a stretched string is described by the equation, y = A sin(kx– ωt). The maximum
particle velocity is
A A. Aω B. ω/k C. dω/dk D. x/t
Hint: Maximum speed of particle = A

Q21 The phase change between incident and reflected sound wave from a fixed wall is :
D A. 0 B. ½  C. ⅔  D.  E. 3/2 
Hint: For hard reflection (fixed wall), there is a phase change of  rad.

Q22 Under suitable conditions, sound waves can be ___________.

I. diffracted II. refracted III. reflected
E A. I B. II C. III D. I, II E. I, II, III
Hint:

Q23 Diffraction of sound wave is more obvious than light. This is because ________.
B A. sound wave has a higher frequency than light
B. sound wave has a longer wavelength than light
C. sound wave is easier to be polarized that light
D. light travels faster than sound wave
Hint: Condition for clear diffraction: the size of obstacle or slit is near to the wavelength of the wave.

Q24 A sound wave of frequency 800 Hz travels in air at a speed of 320 ms–1. What difference in phase
between two points 0.2 m apart along the direction of travelling the waves?
B A. 45  rad B.  rad C. 25  rad D. 4 rad E. 8 rad
Hint:   v 2 
f 
 x
320 2
    0. 2
800 0. 4
 0.4 m   rad

Q25 When a tuning fork is excited, molecules of air vibrate in accordance with the equation x = A
cos(512πt). When this tuning fork and another identical tuning fork loaded with a little wax are
excited together, 4 beats are heard. The frequency of the second fork loaded with wax is
E A. 516 Hz B. 508 Hz C. 384 Hz D. 260 Hz E. 252 Hz
Hint: 2f  512 f1  f 2  4
f  256 Hz f1  256  4
f1  260 Hz or 252 Hz
Since the tuning fork is loaded with a little wax, the frequency is lower, f1 = 252 Hz

Q26 If two waves of length 50 cm and 51 cm produced 12 beats per second, the velocity of sound is
B A. 360 m/s B. 306 m/s C. 331 m/s D. 340 m/s
Hint: f1  f 2  12
v v
  12
1 2
1 1
 v  12
0.50 0.51
v  306 ms -1
Q27 A stationary wave is represented by the equation, y = 3 cos(πx/8) sin(15πt) where x and y are in cm
and t is in seconds. What is the shortest distance between two nodes in centimeter?
A A. 8 B. 12 C. 14 D. 16 E. 20
Hint: 2 
 
 8 x 
2
  16 m 8m
Q28 Which of following represents the equation of standing wave ?
A. Acost sin kx B. Acos kx cost C. A sin kx sint D. all of these
Hint: y  2 A sin kx cos t
y  2 A sin t cos kx
y  2 A sin kx sin t
y  2 A cos kx cos t

Q29 A progressive wave of frequency 300 Hz was superimposed with its reflected wave to produce a
system of stationary waves in which adjacent nodes are 30 cm apart. Find the speed of the
progressive wave.
D A. 20 ms–1 B. 40 ms–1 C. 90 ms–1 D. 180 ms–1
Hint:  = 2  0.3 m = 0.6 m, f = 300 Hz
v  f
 300  0.6
 180 ms-1

Q30 A string of length 2 m fixed between two supports vibrates in two loops. The distance between
node and antinode is:
A A. 50 cm B. 10 cm C. 100 cm D. 200 cm
Hint:  = 2 m
x = ¼  = ¼  2 = 0.5 m = 50 cm N A A
N N

Q31 Standing waves are produced in a 10 m long stretched string. If the string vibrates in 5 segments
and the wave velocity is 20 ms –1 then the frequency is :
C A. 2 Hz B. 4 Hz C. 5 Hz D. 10 Hz
Hint:   4 m
v N A N A N A N A N A N
f 

20

4
 5 Hz

Q32 In the Doppler effect of sound, the apparent frequency of a sound wave is found to be greater than
the true frequency of the source. This is due to which of the following reasons?
I. The observer is moving away from the stationary source.
II. The source is approaching the stationary observer.
III. The source and the observer are approaching each other.
IV. The source and the observer are moving away from each other.
C A. I, IV B. II, III, IV C. II, III D. III, IV
Hint: In order to make the observed frequency larger than the source frequency, they are became closer.

Q33 A car moving at 35 m/s approaches a stationary whistle that emits a 220 Hz sound. The speed of
sound is 343 m/s. What is the frequency of sound heard by the driver of the car?
C A. 198 Hz B. 220 Hz C. 242 Hz D. 282 Hz E. 340 Hz
Hint:  4m
fo f
 s
v  vo v 0
vv
fo  o f s
v
343  35
  220
343
 242.45 Hz
Q34 A police car moving at 22 m/s, chases a motor cyclist. The police man sounds his horn at 176 Hz
while both of them move towards a stationary siren of frequency 165 Hz. Calculate the speed of the
motor cyclist, if it is given that he does not hear any beats. (Velocity of sound = 330 m/s)
C A. 0 B. 11 m/s C. 22 m/s D. 33 m/s E. 44 m/s
Hint: The beat frequency = 0, its meant that the frequencies are the same.
f o1 f f o1  f o 2
 s1
v  vo v  vs 0.5714(330  vo )  0.5(330  vo )
330  vo 1.0714vo  23.56
f o1  176
330  22 vo  22 ms -1
 0.5714(330  vo )
fo 2 f
 s2
v  vo v 0
330  vo
fo2  165
330
 0.5(330  vo )
Q35A sound wave when reflected from a vertical wall forms a stationary wave. If  denotes the
wavelength of this sound wave, then the distance between two adjacent nodes in the stationary wave
and that between adjacent antinodes in the same stationary wave would respectively be
___________ and __________.
C A. 4 , 2 B. 2 , 4 C. 2 , 2 D.  ,  E. N.O.T.A.
Hint: Distance between two adjacent nodes = ½ ; Distance between two adjacent antinodes = ½ .