
PHYS 1400 Sample Exams: Waves and Sound
1. An oscillation, or vibration
A) is a completely random motion. For example, when a fly buzzes around you, the path of his
motion is an oscillation.
B) is not completely random, because the motion cannot repeat. For example, if the fly circles
around your head once, he can keep flying, but never follow that same path again.
C) is not random at all. If you are going to use that fly as an example, then you have to look at its
wings. The wings move up and down, over and over (and really fast), but they stay attached to the
fly. The wings are oscillating.
D) is a back-and-forth motion that repeats, but not like the fly's wings; it has to be a back-and-forth
motion, it cannot be an up-and-down motion.
2. A wave is
A) an oscillation in time only. C) an oscillation in time propagated through space.
B) an oscillation in space only. D) a vibration, not an oscillation!
3. As a wave propagates,
A) the medium is pulled along with the traveling wave.
B) the medium actually travels in the opposite direction, as the wave "pushes off" the molecules.
C) the molecules of the medium vibrate, but do not propagate forward with the wave.
D) the medium remains rigid, neither vibrating nor propagating as the wave passes.
4. Compare a longitudinal and a transverse wave.
A) Longitudinal waves vibrate parallel to the direction of propagation, transverse perpendicular.
B) Backwards! Longitudinal vibrate perpendicular to the direction of propagation, and transverse
waves vibrate parallel to the direction of propagation.
C) Longitudinal waves have longer wavelength and transverse waves have greater amplitude.
D) Backwards! Transverse have longer wavelength, longitudinal have greater amplitude.
5. Compare sound and light waves.
A) Sound waves are transverse, and so are light waves.
B) Sound waves are longitudinal, and so are light waves.
C) Sound waves are transverse, light waves are longitudinal.
D) Sound waves are longitudinal, light waves are transverse.
6. Sound waves
A) are exclusively longitudinal. C) are neither longitudinal nor transverse.
B) are exclusively transverse. D) have longitudinal and transverse components.
7. Light waves
A) are exclusively longitudinal. C) are neither longitudinal nor transverse.
B) are exclusively transverse. D) have longitudinal and transverse components.
8. Seismic waves
A) are exclusively longitudinal. C) are neither longitudinal nor transverse.
B) are exclusively transverse. D) have longitudinal and transverse components.
9. A seismograph is used to record earthquake tremors. The same earthquake can be recorded on
different seismographs located in different places. This data can then be used to locate the epicenter
of the earthquake. Geologists have labeled seismic waves as S-waves or P-waves.
A) This is arbitrary, and does not mean anything significant. American geologists call them S-waves
(S for seismic), and German geologists call them P-waves (P for planierungsraupenfahrzeug).
B) S- and P-waves are two different types of seismic waves. The S-waves are transverse, and the P-
waves are longitudinal.
C) Backwards! The S-waves are longitudinal, and the P-waves are transverse.
D) The S-waves are seismic waves that have been recorded on a seismograph. P-waves are seismic
waves that have been predicted, but not recorded or measured in any way.
10. Pushing and pulling an accordion parallel to its axis, making the bellows expand and contract
A) causes a transverse wave. C) causes an obfuscation wave.
B) causes a longitudinal wave. D) does not result in wave motion of any kind.