1. A wave is a disturbance which
A) Transfers energy without transfer of matter
B) Transfers both energy and matter
C) Transfers only particles
D) Transfers only force
Answer: A) Transfers energy without transfer of matter
Explanation: Waves carry energy from one point to another; the medium only vibrates.
2. The substance or material through which a wave travels is called
A) Medium
B) Source
C) Path
D) Motion
Answer: A) Medium
3. Waves that require a medium for their propagation are called
A) Mechanical waves
B) Electromagnetic waves
C) Light waves
D) Quantum waves
Answer: A) Mechanical waves
4. Waves that can travel in vacuum are called
A) Electromagnetic waves
B) Mechanical waves
C) Sound waves
D) Matter waves
Answer: A) Electromagnetic waves
Explanation: Light, radio, and X-rays can travel through vacuum.
5. Sound waves are examples of
A) Mechanical waves
B) Electromagnetic waves
C) Matter waves
D) Transverse waves
Answer: A) Mechanical waves
6. In which type of wave do particles vibrate parallel to wave direction?
A) Longitudinal wave
B) Transverse wave
C) Electromagnetic wave
D) Circular wave
Answer: A) Longitudinal wave
7. In which type of wave do particles vibrate perpendicular to wave direction?
A) Transverse wave
B) Longitudinal wave
C) Sound wave
D) Stationary wave
Answer: A) Transverse wave
8. Example of a transverse wave is
A) Light wave
B) Sound wave in air
C) Seismic P-wave
D) Pressure wave
Answer: A) Light wave
9. Example of a longitudinal wave is
A) Sound wave in air
B) Light wave
C) Water wave
D) Radio wave
Answer: A) Sound wave in air
10. The highest point on a transverse wave is called
A) Crest
B) Trough
C) Node
D) Antinode
Answer: A) Crest
11. The lowest point on a transverse wave is called
A) Trough
B) Crest
C) Node
D) Mean point
Answer: A) Trough
12. The distance between two consecutive crests or troughs is called
A) Wavelength
B) Amplitude
C) Frequency
D) Period
Answer: A) Wavelength
13. The maximum displacement of a particle from its mean position is called
A) Amplitude
B) Frequency
C) Velocity
D) Period
Answer: A) Amplitude
14. The number of vibrations made in one second is called
A) Frequency
B) Amplitude
C) Wavelength
D) Period
Answer: A) Frequency
15. The time taken to complete one vibration is called
A) Time period
B) Frequency
C) Amplitude
D) Length
Answer: A) Time period
16. The unit of frequency is
A) Hertz
B) Second
C) Joule
D) Meter
Answer: A) Hertz
17. The product of frequency and wavelength gives
A) Speed of the wave
B) Energy
C) Amplitude
D) Acceleration
Answer: A) Speed of the wave
18. In sound waves, regions of high pressure are called
A) Compressions
B) Rarefactions
C) Crests
D) Nodes
Answer: A) Compressions
19. In sound waves, regions of low pressure are called
A) Rarefactions
B) Compressions
C) Crests
D) Antinodes
Answer: A) Rarefactions
20. The wave which remains confined in a medium and does not transfer energy away is called
A) Stationary wave
B) Progressive wave
C) Electromagnetic wave
D) Shock wave
Answer: A) Stationary wave
21. A progressive wave transfers
A) Energy
B) Matter
C) Pressure
D) Mass
Answer: A) Energy
22. Sound cannot travel through
A) Vacuum
B) Air
C) Water
D) Steel
Answer: A) Vacuum
23. The wave motion of sound in air is
A) Longitudinal
B) Transverse
C) Circular
D) Stationary
Answer: A) Longitudinal
24. The speed of sound is greatest in
A) Solids
B) Liquids
C) Gases
D) Vacuum
Answer: A) Solids
Explanation: Molecules in solids are closer and transmit vibrations faster.
25. The speed of sound is least in
A) Gases
B) Liquids
C) Solids
D) Vacuum
Answer: A) Gases
26. The speed of sound in air increases with
A) Increase in temperature
B) Decrease in temperature
C) Humidity reduction
D) High pressure
Answer: A) Increase in temperature
27. The speed of sound in air also increases with
A) Increase in humidity
B) Decrease in humidity
C) No change in humidity
D) Pressure changes
Answer: A) Increase in humidity
28. The waves produced by plucking a stretched string are
A) Transverse
B) Longitudinal
C) Stationary
D) Random
Answer: A) Transverse
29. The waves produced in a tuning fork are
A) Longitudinal
B) Transverse
C) Stationary
D) Circular
Answer: A) Longitudinal
30. The stationary waves are formed by
A) Superposition of two similar waves moving in opposite directions
B) Reflection only
C) Refraction of waves
D) Dispersion
Answer: A) Superposition of two similar waves moving in opposite directions
31. The points in stationary waves where displacement is always zero are called
A) Nodes
B) Antinodes
C) Crests
D) Troughs
Answer: A) Nodes
32. The points in stationary waves where displacement is maximum are called
A) Antinodes
B) Nodes
C) Crests
D) Mean points
Answer: A) Antinodes
33. The distance between two consecutive nodes is
A) Half of wavelength
B) Equal to wavelength
C) Double of wavelength
D) Quarter of wavelength
Answer: A) Half of wavelength
34. The wave property responsible for echo is
A) Reflection
B) Refraction
C) Diffraction
D) Interference
Answer: A) Reflection
35. The phenomenon of bending of waves around corners is
A) Diffraction
B) Reflection
C) Refraction
D) Polarization
Answer: A) Diffraction
36. The change in direction of waves when they pass from one medium to another is
A) Refraction
B) Reflection
C) Diffraction
D) Resonance
Answer: A) Refraction
37. The overlapping of two or more waves is called
A) Interference
B) Diffraction
C) Reflection
D) Resonance
Answer: A) Interference
38. When two waves meet and their amplitudes add up, it is called
A) Constructive interference
B) Destructive interference
C) Diffraction
D) Polarization
Answer: A) Constructive interference
39. When two waves meet and their amplitudes cancel each other, it is called
A) Destructive interference
B) Constructive interference
C) Reflection
D) Diffraction
Answer: A) Destructive interference
40. The formation of beats occurs due to
A) Interference of two waves of slightly different frequencies
B) Resonance
C) Refraction
D) Polarization
Answer: A) Interference of two waves of slightly different frequencies
41. When two sound waves of slightly different frequencies reach the ear, the resulting phenomenon is called
A) Beats
B) Echo
C) Resonance
D) Interference
Answer: A) Beats
Explanation: Beats occur due to alternate reinforcement and cancellation of sound waves of nearby frequencies.
42. The time interval between two successive beats is called
A) Beat period
B) Beat frequency
C) Time lag
D) Time difference
Answer: A) Beat period
Explanation: It’s the time between one loud sound and the next in a beat pattern.
43. The phenomenon of repeated reflection of sound causing prolongation of sound is called
A) Reverberation
B) Echo
C) Reflection
D) Resonance
Answer: A) Reverberation
Explanation: Reverberation occurs when sound reflects continuously and overlaps with the original sound.
44. The reflection of sound from a distant surface so that it is heard again is called
A) Echo
B) Refraction
C) Resonance
D) Interference
Answer: A) Echo
Explanation: An echo is a distinct repetition of sound after reflection from a distant object.
45. The persistence of sound after the source has stopped due to multiple reflections is
A) Reverberation
B) Resonance
C) Interference
D) Diffraction
Answer: A) Reverberation
46. The minimum distance required for an echo to be heard distinctly is about
A) 17 meters
B) 34 meters
C) 50 meters
D) 100 meters
Answer: A) 17 meters
Explanation: Sound must take at least one-tenth of a second to return, which corresponds to roughly 17 m.
47. The loudness of sound depends on
A) Amplitude
B) Frequency
C) Velocity
D) Wavelength
Answer: A) Amplitude
Explanation: Greater amplitude means greater energy, hence louder sound.
48. The pitch of sound depends on
A) Frequency
B) Amplitude
C) Speed
D) Energy
Answer: A) Frequency
Explanation: High frequency corresponds to a high-pitched sound.
49. The quality or timbre of sound helps us to distinguish between
A) Different sources of sound
B) Loud and soft sounds
C) Fast and slow sounds
D) Near and far sounds
Answer: A) Different sources of sound
Explanation: Quality depends on waveform, which makes voices or instruments sound different.
50. The characteristics of sound are
A) Loudness, pitch, and quality
B) Speed, mass, and length
C) Amplitude and weight
D) Density and velocity
Answer: A) Loudness, pitch, and quality
51. The unit of loudness is
A) Decibel
B) Hertz
C) Meter
D) Newton
Answer: A) Decibel
52. The unit of intensity of sound is
A) Watt per square meter
B) Hertz
C) Newton
D) Pascal
Answer: A) Watt per square meter
Explanation: Intensity means energy transmitted per unit area per second.
53. The sound which is pleasant to hear is called
A) Music
B) Noise
C) Echo
D) Resonance
Answer: A) Music
54. The sound which is unpleasant and irregular is called
A) Noise
B) Music
C) Resonance
D) Echo
Answer: A) Noise
55. The sound of a tuning fork is
A) Musical
B) Noisy
C) Rough
D) Continuous
Answer: A) Musical
Explanation: The vibrations are regular and periodic.
56. The property of sound by which we distinguish a male voice from a female voice is
A) Quality
B) Pitch
C) Loudness
D) Speed
Answer: A) Quality
57. The range of frequencies audible to human ears is approximately
A) 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz
B) 0 Hz to 1,000 Hz
C) 100 Hz to 1,000 Hz
D) 10,000 Hz to 100,000 Hz
Answer: A) 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz
58. Sound waves with frequencies less than 20 Hz are called
A) Infrasonic waves
B) Ultrasonic waves
C) Supersonic waves
D) Subsonic waves
Answer: A) Infrasonic waves
59. Sound waves with frequencies greater than 20,000 Hz are called
A) Ultrasonic waves
B) Infrasonic waves
C) Supersonic waves
D) Electromagnetic waves
Answer: A) Ultrasonic waves
60. Bats use which type of sound for navigation?
A) Ultrasonic waves
B) Infrasonic waves
C) Audible sound
D) Supersonic waves
Answer: A) Ultrasonic waves
Explanation: Bats emit high-frequency sound and detect its reflection to locate objects.
61. The study of sound and its properties is called
A) Acoustics
B) Optics
C) Mechanics
D) Dynamics
Answer: A) Acoustics
62. The device used to measure the intensity of sound is called
A) Sound level meter
B) Thermometer
C) Barometer
D) Manometer
Answer: A) Sound level meter
63. The speed of sound in air depends on
A) Temperature and humidity
B) Pressure only
C) Density only
D) Altitude only
Answer: A) Temperature and humidity
64. The sound travels faster in humid air because
A) Water vapor is lighter than air
B) Air pressure increases
C) Density increases
D) Temperature decreases
Answer: A) Water vapor is lighter than air
65. The device used to study vibration of tuning fork is
A) Sonometer
B) Barometer
C) Manometer
D) Oscilloscope
Answer: A) Sonometer
66. The speed of sound in air is approximately
A) 340 meters per second
B) 100 meters per second
C) 500 meters per second
D) 700 meters per second
Answer: A) 340 meters per second
67. The speed of sound in water is approximately
A) 1500 meters per second
B) 300 meters per second
C) 340 meters per second
D) 100 meters per second
Answer: A) 1500 meters per second
68. The speed of sound in steel is approximately
A) 5000 meters per second
B) 340 meters per second
C) 1500 meters per second
D) 200 meters per second
Answer: A) 5000 meters per second
69. The speed of sound is not affected by
A) Pressure (at constant temperature)
B) Temperature
C) Humidity
D) Medium
Answer: A) Pressure (at constant temperature)
70. The phenomenon of change in frequency due to motion of source or observer is called
A) Doppler effect
B) Resonance
C) Interference
D) Diffraction
Answer: A) Doppler effect
71. When the source of sound approaches the listener, the frequency appears to
A) Increase
B) Decrease
C) Remain constant
D) Stop
Answer: A) Increase
Explanation: Due to Doppler effect, waves get compressed, increasing frequency.
72. When the source of sound moves away from the listener, frequency appears to
A) Decrease
B) Increase
C) Stay constant
D) Become zero
Answer: A) Decrease
73. The Doppler effect is used in
A) Radar and medical imaging
B) Cooking
C) Painting
D) Music recording
Answer: A) Radar and medical imaging
74. Echo sounding is used to measure
A) Depth of sea
B) Height of mountains
C) Density of air
D) Temperature
Answer: A) Depth of sea
75. The device used for detecting underwater objects using sound waves is
A) SONAR
B) RADAR
C) LASER
D) MICROSCOPE
Answer: A) SONAR
Explanation: SONAR uses reflected sound waves to locate underwater objects.
76. The principle of SONAR is based on
A) Reflection of sound waves
B) Refraction of light
C) Diffraction of waves
D) Polarization
Answer: A) Reflection of sound waves
77. Sound waves are best reflected by
A) Hard and smooth surfaces
B) Soft and rough surfaces
C) Air
D) Foam
Answer: A) Hard and smooth surfaces
78. In auditorium design, walls and ceilings are made with
A) Sound-absorbing materials
B) Glass
C) Metal
D) Stone
Answer: A) Sound-absorbing materials
Explanation: These prevent unwanted echoes and reverberations.
79. Multiple reflections of sound in a hall make it
A) Noisy
B) Pleasant
C) Louder
D) Clearer
Answer: A) Noisy
80. The speed of sound is greater in
A) Warm air than cold air
B) Cold air than warm air
C) Dry air than humid air
D) Vacuum
Answer: A) Warm air than cold air
81. Sound cannot be polarized because
A) It is longitudinal
B) It is transverse
C) It is random
D) It has no medium
Answer: A) It is longitudinal
82. The range of human hearing is known as
A) Audible range
B) Sonic range
C) Ultrasonic range
D) Subsonic range
Answer: A) Audible range
83. Dogs can hear frequencies higher than
A) 20,000 Hz
B) 10,000 Hz
C) 15,000 Hz
D) 5,000 Hz
Answer: A) 20,000 Hz
84. The reflection of sound used by bats and dolphins is called
A) Echolocation
B) Interference
C) Refraction
D) Resonance
Answer: A) Echolocation
85. The sound produced by a bell is an example of
A) Vibrations of a solid
B) Vibrations of air only
C) Vibrations of liquid
D) Light reflection
Answer: A) Vibrations of a solid
86. The main cause of noise pollution is
A) Irregular and loud sounds
B) Soft music
C) Gentle vibration
D) None
Answer: A) Irregular and loud sounds
87. The unit used to measure noise level is
A) Decibel
B) Watt
C) Hertz
D) Joule
Answer: A) Decibel
88. High intensity of sound can cause
A) Deafness
B) Dizziness
C) Eye strain
D) Fever
Answer: A) Deafness
89. The waves produced in a stretched spring are
A) Longitudinal
B) Transverse
C) Standing
D) Rotational
Answer: A) Longitudinal
90. The property that allows sound to bend around obstacles is
A) Diffraction
B) Reflection
C) Refraction
D) Resonance
Answer: A) Diffraction
91. The speed of sound depends on
A) Elasticity and density of medium
B) Color of sound
C) Volume
D) Weight
Answer: A) Elasticity and density of medium
92. Sound travels faster in hydrogen than in air because
A) Hydrogen is lighter
B) Hydrogen is denser
C) Hydrogen is colder
D) Hydrogen has low energy
Answer: A) Hydrogen is lighter
93. The time taken by sound to travel to an obstacle and back is
A) Echo time
B) Sound delay
C) Beat time
D) Frequency
Answer: A) Echo time
94. Sound travels fastest in
A) Solids
B) Liquids
C) Gases
D) Vacuum
Answer: A) Solids
95. In solids, sound travels due to
A) Elastic vibrations of particles
B) Free flow of air
C) Magnetic effects
D) Light energy
Answer: A) Elastic vibrations of particles
96. Sound is produced due to
A) Vibration of objects
B) Heat
C) Light
D) Pressure
Answer: A) Vibration of objects
97. In a wave, the energy transfer takes place through
A) Vibration of particles
B) Motion of matter
C) Radiation only
D) Diffusion
Answer: A) Vibration of particles
98. Sound travels in air as
A) Longitudinal wave
B) Transverse wave
C) Stationary wave
D) Light wave
Answer: A) Longitudinal wave
99. The phenomenon of resonance increases
A) Amplitude of vibration
B) Speed of wave
C) Frequency
D) Density
Answer: A) Amplitude of vibration
100. Waves are essential in
A) Communication, music, and technology
B) Cooking
C) Digestion
D) Motion of planets
Answer: A) Communication, music, and technology
Explanation: Radio, TV, mobile, and sound systems all work on wave principles.