Quiz on Waves for 8th Graders

Which of the following best describes the main characteristic of all waves?

• They only travel through solids

• They transfer energy from one place to another

• They always require a medium to travel

• They are always visible to the human eye

What type of wave is created when people in a stadium perform a 'Mexican wave'?

• Longitudinal wave

• Electromagnetic wave

• Transverse wave

• Sound wave

In a longitudinal wave, how do the particles of the medium move in relation to the direction of the wave?

• Up and down

• In circles

• Parallel to the wave direction

• Perpendicular to the wave direction

Which of the following is NOT an example of a mechanical wave?

• Water waves

• Earthquake waves

• Sound waves

• Light waves

What term is used to describe the material through which a wave travels?

• Oscillation

• Medium

• Vacuum

• Transmission

Which type of wave can travel through empty space?

• Mechanical waves

• Electromagnetic waves

• Longitudinal waves

• Transverse waves only

What is the main difference between P waves and S waves in an earthquake?

• P waves are faster and can travel through liquids and solids, while S waves are slower and can only travel through solids

• P waves are transverse, while S waves are longitudinal

• P waves cause more damage than S waves

• P waves can travel through space, while S waves cannot

Which of the following statements about waves is FALSE?

• All waves transfer energy

• Some waves can travel through a vacuum

• Waves always carry particles of the medium along with them

• Waves can occur in all states of matter

In a transverse wave, what is the relationship between the direction of particle movement and the direction of wave travel?

• They are parallel

• They are at right angles to each other

• They are in opposite directions

• There is no consistent relationship

Which of the following would most likely affect how a wave travels through a medium?

• The color of the medium

• The shape of the container holding the medium

• The density of the medium

• The age of the medium