MCAS MC Sound

The table shows the speed of sound in various substances under different conditions. Which of the following conclusions is best supported by the data in the table?

• Sound generally travels at a faster speed in solid substances than in liquid substances.

• Sound generally travels at a faster speed in gaseous substances than in liquid substances.

• Sound generally travels at a slower speed when the temperature of a substance is increased.

• Sound generally travels at a slower speed when the temperature of a substance is decreased.

Which of the following types of waves is longitudinal?

• light wave

• microwave

• radio wave

• sound wave

Which of the following statements describes the motion of air particles as a sound wave moves across a room?

• . The air particles move in circles inside the sound wave.

• The air particles move across the room with the sound wave.

• The air particles move back and forth, parallel to the direction of the sound wave.

• The air particles move back and forth, perpendicular to the direction of the sound wave.

The diagram below shows a sound wave being produced by a speaker and the density of air molecules as the sound wave travels to a listener’s ear. Each section labeled with an X shows an interval between dense regions of the air molecules. What wave property does X represent?

• amplitude

• frequency

• velocity

• wavelength

Which of the following is an example of a longitudinal wave?

• an infrared wave

• a light wave

• a microwave

• a sound wave

A 500 Hz sound wave and a 400 Hz sound wave travel through the air. Which of the following characteristics must be different for the two waves?

• amplitude

• velocity

• speed

• wavelength

The table below shows characteristics of four sound waves. Based on the information in the table, which wave has the longest period?

• wave W

• wave X

• wave Y

• wave Z

Students are studying how sound travels in different media. The graph below shows the distance that sound travels over a period of time in four different media, W, X, Y, and Z. The media include all three states of matter. Based on the data in the graph, the students calculated the velocities of the sound in the four media.

Which of the following conclusions can the students make based on their calculations?

• Medium Z is most likely a gas.

• Medium Y is most likely a solid.

• Medium W and medium X are most likely liquids.

• Medium W is most likely a gas and medium X is most likely a liquid.

A trumpet makes a low-pitched note, while a flute makes a high-pitched note. The volume of both notes is the same. What is different for the two sounds as they travel through the air?

• the amplitude

• the medium

• the wavelength

• the velocity

The diagram below shows a cell phone inside a glass jar that is sealed and connected to a vacuum pump.

The vacuum pump is turned on and removes the air from inside the jar.

Which of the following statements explains what happens when someone calls the cell phone?

• The signal does not reach the phone because sound needs a medium through which to travel.

• The signal does not reach the phone because the signal needs a medium through which to travel.

• The phone receives the signal and can be heard ringing because both the signal and sound can travel in a vacuum.

• The phone receives the signal but cannot be heard ringing because the signal can travel in a vacuum but sound cannot.