Physics Unit 09: Behavior of Waves Vocab Test

What describes the bending of a wave around a small obstacle or through a narrow opening?

• Reflection

• Diffraction

• Refraction

• Polarization

What describes the phenomenon where the frequency of a sound is perceived as higher when the source moves toward an observer and lower after passing?

• Doppler effect

• Superposition

• Standing wave

• Reflection

What is the point where all light rays passing through a converging lens meet?

• Real image

• Virtual image

• Focal point

• Magnification

What law describes the polarizing properties of transverse waves, such as light?

• Malus’s Law

• Law of reflection

• Snell's Law

• Conservation of energy

What is the characteristic of transverse waves where oscillations occur in a specific direction perpendicular to the wave's path?

• Reflection

• Diffraction

• Refraction

• Polarization

What is the change in direction of a wave after interacting with a boundary?

• Reflection

• Refraction

• Diffraction

• Polarization

What happens when a wave changes direction as it moves from one medium to another?

• Refraction

• Diffraction

• Reflection

• Polarization

What wave is produced when two waves of identical frequency and amplitude moving toward one another interfere?

• Transverse wave

• Standing wave

• Longitudinal wave

• Electromagnetic wave

What describes the interaction of two identical waves in phase, producing a wave equal to the sum of their amplitudes?

• Diffraction

• Reflection

• Refraction

• Superposition

What is the maximum vertical displacement of a wave from its equilibrium position?

• Amplitude

• Frequency

• Wavelength

• Crest