Name: ____________________________ Period: _____ Date: ___________________________
Wave Practice Test
1. – 3. Define and draw a picture of a transverse wave (how do the particles move?).
Give an example of a transverse wave.
4. – 6. Define and draw a picture of a longitudinal wave (how do the particles move?).
Give an example of a longitudinal wave.
Define the following terms, then label them on your diagrams above:
7. crest
8. trough
9. wavelength
10. amplitude
11. period
12. frequency
13. compression
14. rarefaction
15. Waves bounce back when they meet a surface. This phenomenon is called…
16. Waves “bend” as they go around an object. This phenomenon is called…
17. Waves “bend” as they go from 1 medium to another. This phenomenon is called…
18. – 19. When waves bounce back on each other, they sometimes add together and
amplitude increases. This phenomenon is called…(draw it)
20. - 21.When waves bounce back on each other, they sometimes subtract from each
together and amplitude decreases. This phenomenon is called… (draw it)
22. – 23. Waves that occur from bouncing back and appear to be flip-flopping are
called… (draw one with a frequency of 2 Hz)
24. Using the grid below, draw a wave that has an amplitude of 5 blocks and a
wavelength of 12. Draw your wave from the left side of the grid all the way to
the right. The time is takes for the wave to get from the left to the right will be
1 second. When you are done, determine the quantities below.
25. frequency: ____________
26. wavelength: ____________
27. amplitude: ____________
28. period: ____________
Show all work for the math problems below.
=f
 = /T
f= 1/T
T= 1/f
29. __________________________ How fast is a sound wave with a frequency of 256 Hz
and a wavelength of 1.3 m?
30. __________________________ If a sound wave travels through air at a speed of
345 m/s, what would be the frequency of a 0.80 m long wave?
31. __________________________ If a sound wave travels through air at 331.5 m/s,
what would be the wavelength of a 1024 Hz sound?
ANSWER KEY__ Period: _____ Date: ___________________________
Wave Practice Test
Name: __
1. – 3. Define and draw a picture of a transverse wave (how do the particles move?).
Give an example of a transverse wave.
Particles move
perpendicular to
the wave
(energy). Light is
an example. P
waves
(earthquakes) re another.
4. – 6. Define and draw a picture of a longitudinal wave (how do the particles move?).
Give an example of a longitudinal wave.
Particles move parallel
to the wave (energy).
Sound is an example.
S waves
(earthquakes) are
another.
Define the following terms, then label them on your diagrams above:
7. crest:
highest point on a wave
8. trough:
lowest point on a wave
“size” of a wave: crest/crest or
trough/trough or compression/compression
or rarefaction/rarefaction or
one point to same point on next wave
10. amplitude: “height” of a wave…maximum
9. wavelength:
11. period:
displacement
time for one wave (sec.)
12. frequency:
number of waves per second (Hz)
13. compression:
14. rarefaction:
where waves “bunched” together
where waves are spread out
15. Waves bounce back when they meet a surface. This phenomenon is called…
Reflection (how mirrors work)
16. Waves “bend” as they go around an object. This phenomenon is called…
Diffraction (why we can hear sound from
another room)
17. Waves “bend” as they go from 1 medium to another. This phenomenon is called…
Refraction (how lenses work)
18. – 19. When waves bounce back on each other, they sometimes add together and
amplitude increases. This phenomenon is called…(draw it)
constructive interference
20. - 21.When waves bounce back on each other, they sometimes subtract from each
together and amplitude decreases. This phenomenon is called… (draw it)
destructive interference
22. – 23. Waves that occur from bouncing back and appear to be flip-flopping are
called… (draw one with a frequency of 2 Hz)
standing waves
24. Using the grid below, draw a wave that has an amplitude of 5 blocks and a
wavelength of 12. Draw your wave from the left side of the grid all the way to
the right. The time is takes for the wave to get from the left to the right will be
1 second. When you are done, determine the quantities below.
2 5/12
2.417 Hz_
26. wavelength: _12
blocks
47 mm_
27. amplitude: _5
blocks
20 mm__
28. period: _T = 1/f
1/2.417
.414 sec__
Show all work for the math problems below.
=f
 = /T
f= 1/T
25. frequency: _
T= 1/f
330 m/s__ How fast is a sound wave with a frequency of 256 Hz
29. ___
and a wavelength of 1.3 m?
 = f
= (256 Hz)(1.3m)
430 Hz_____ If a sound wave travels through air at a speed of
30. _
345 m/s, what would be the frequency of a 0.80 m long wave?
 = f
345 m/s = (f)(.8m)
.32 m______ If a sound wave travels through air at 331.5 m/s,
31. ___
what would be the wavelength of a 1024 Hz sound?
 = f
331.5 m/s = (1024 Hz)()