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VIBRATIONS AND WAVES

Understanding Physics Concepts
Circle the letter of the choice that best completes the statement.

1. The time it takes for a wave to complete one wave cycle is the wave’s ____.
a. amplitude c. wavelength
b. period d. frequency
2. The distance from the trough of a wave to the adjacent trough is the ____.
a. amplitude c. wavelength
b. period d. speed
3. Any motion that repeats in a regular cycle is known as ____ motion.
a. transverse c. simple harmonic
b. wave d. periodic
4. The number of times a wave cycle repeats each second is the ____ of the wave.
a. period c. velocity
b. frequency d. wavelength
5. The bending of waves at the boundary of two different media is known as ____ .
a. refraction c. incidence
b. reflection d. diffraction
6. ____ occurs when two or more waves move through a medium at the same time.
a. refraction c. interference
b. reflection d. resonance
7. The rate of energy transfer for a particular wave is directly proportional to the ____.
a. amplitude c. frequency
b. square of the amplitude d. square of the frequency
8. The speed of a wave is equal to ____ times frequency.
a. energy transfer c. period
b. amplitude d. wavelength

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9. The ____ is a line drawn at a right angle to a barrier.

a. normal c. node
b. ray d. wave front
Write the term that correctly completes the statement.

10. The ________________________ states that when two-dimensional waves are reflected at
boundaries, the angles of incidence and reflection are equal.
11. A ________________________ is a line drawn at a right angle to the crest of a wave.
12. The point on a wave that experiences the greatest displacement during constructive
interference is known as the ________________________ .
13. A ________________________ has characteristics of both transverse and longitudinal waves.
14. Frequency is the ________________________ of the period.
15. ________________________ states that the force experienced by a spring is directly proportional
to the displacement of the spring.
16. The potential energy stored in a spring is directly proportional to the square of the
________________________.
17. ________________________ results when the restorative force on an object is directly
proportional to the displacement of the object.
18. On a graph of displacement versus force for an elastic spring, the ________________________
of the graph is equal to the spring constant for that spring.
19. On a graph of displacement versus force for an elastic spring, the ________________________
represents the potential energy stored in the spring.
20. When an object in simple harmonic motion is at its equilibrium point, the net force on the
object is ________________________.
For each statement below, write true or rewrite the italicized part to make the statement true.

21. ________________________ The period of a pendulum depends only on the length of the
pendulum.
22. ________________________ The period of a wave is determined by the medium through which
the wave moves.
23. ________________________ When a wave crosses a boundary, some energy is transferred and
some is reflected.
24. ________________________ In destructive interference, a point that experiences no
displacement is called a trough.

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Thinking Critically
Answer the following questions. Show your calculations.

1. Sound waves travel approximately 340 m/s through the air. What is the wavelength of a sound
wave that has a frequency of 192 Hz?

2. Sound has a speed of about 3200 m/s in copper. What is the wavelength of the
sound wave in question 1 after it crosses into a copper medium? Keep in mind that the
frequency of a wave does not change when it enters a new medium.

3. A spring that is stretched 23.0 cm from its equilibrium point experiences a force of 103 N.
a. What is the spring constant?

b. How much energy is stored in the spring?

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Refer to the table to answer questions 4–6. Use complete sentences and show your calculations.

Material Speed of Sound (m/s) Density (kg/m3)

air 340 1.275

water 1482 1000

lead 1260 11,340

copper 3200 2520

glass 3570 8920

4. What is the relationship between the speed of sound in materials and the density of the
materials? Why? Keep in mind that sound is a longitudinal, or compression, wave.
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5. A sound wave has a frequency of 250 Hz in air. What is its wavelength in water?

6. A sound wave has a wavelength of 4.55 m in glass. What is its frequency in water?

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Applying Physics Knowledge

Answer the following questions. Use complete sentences.

1. If a transverse wave passes from a flexible spring into a heavier stiffer spring where the wave
has a greater speed, what will happen to the reflected wave in the flexible spring?
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2. Using waves in the ocean as an example, explain how amplitude relates to the rate of energy
transfer.
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3. What is a standing wave? How is a standing wave produced?
____________________________________________________________________________________
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4. Why does gravitational field affect the period of a pendulum?
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5. What does the principle of superposition state?
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Answer the following questions. Show your calculations.

6. A spring is stretched 3 cm by a force of 12 N. How far would the spring have to be stretched to
produce a potential energy of 0.143 J?

7. A wave travels through a rope at a speed of 2.1 m/s and has a wavelength of 0.15 m. The wave
then passes into a spring where it travels at a speed of 5.0 m/s. What is the wave’s wavelength
in the spring?

8. What is the length of a simple pendulum with a period of 11.5 s? (Hint: Use gravitational
field, g  9.8 N/kg)

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