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Course: American System Physics
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American System Physics

A Physics Toolkit

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Representing Motion

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Accelerated Motion

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Forces in One Dimension

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Displacement and Force in Two Dimensions

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Motion in Two Dimensions

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Gravitation

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Rotational Motion

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Momentum and Its Conservation

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Energy and Its Conservation

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Thermal Energy

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States of Matter

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Vibrations and Waves

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Sound

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Fundamentals of Light

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Reflection and Refraction

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Interference and Diffraction

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Electrostatics

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Electric Current and Circuits

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Magnetic Fields

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Electromagnetic Induction and Electromagnetism

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Quantum Theory and the Atom

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Solid-State Electronics

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Nuclear and Particle Physics

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Quiz

15.2 The Wave Nature of Light – Quiz

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Wave Nature of Light American Physics quiz: free practice for American System Physics. Work through this Wave Nature of Light American Physics quiz and get instant feedback on every answer. If you get stuck, review the 15.2 The Wave Nature of Light — Notes lesson. More practice: American System Physics — all units. Syllabus: OpenStax free science textbooks.

  • Questions count: 50
  • Passing grade: A-
  • Time limit:
Start Quiz
1.
The diagram shows a double-slit experiment producing alternate bright and dark bands. What does this pattern show?
Dr Dabour Hub Academy - figure 1
Light is a stream of particles travelling in straight lines
Light is a wave: coherent waves from the slits interfere
Light is longitudinal
The screen is polarizing the light
2.
Which pairing of analyzer angle and fraction of polarized light transmitted is correct?
60° — three quarters
90° — one half
30° — one quarter
45° — one half
3.
The diagram compares absorption lines from a laboratory source with those from a distant galaxy. Using the 486 nm line, what is the galaxy's speed and direction?
Dr Dabour Hub Academy - figure 2
6.17 × 10⁶ m/s, moving away
6.17 × 10⁶ m/s, moving towards us
2.59 × 10⁷ m/s, moving away
zero, the galaxy is stationary
4.
Using the values labelled in the diagram, calculate the intensity that reaches the meter.
Dr Dabour Hub Academy - figure 3
180 W/m²
90.0 W/m²
104 W/m²
120 W/m²
5.
An LCD pixel sends out polarized light of 50 W/m²; a viewer's polarized sunglasses have their axis at 60° to this direction. What intensity reaches the eye?
25.0 W/m²
37.5 W/m²
12.5 W/m²
6.25 W/m²
6.
In the table, which reading does not fit Malus's law with I₀ = 320 lx?
θ = 30°, I = 240 lx
θ = 60°, I = 80 lx
θ = 45°, I = 200 lx
θ = 75°, I = 21 lx
7.
From the graph of transmitted intensity against cos²θ, what is the intensity I₀ reaching the analyzer?
Dr Dabour Hub Academy - figure 4
150 lx
600 lx
75 lx
300 lx
8.
Sodium street lamps emit yellow light of wavelength 590 nm. What is the frequency of this light?
5.08 × 10⁵ Hz
5.08 × 10¹⁴ Hz
177 Hz
1.97 × 10⁻¹⁵ Hz
9.
Using the table, which galaxy is receding fastest?
R
P
Q
S
10.
A star's spectrum shifts depending on how it moves. Which motion is linked with the correct observed effect?
Source receding — blueshift
Source approaching — blueshift, higher frequency
Source approaching — longer wavelength
No relative motion — redshift
11.
Unpolarized light of 100 W/m² meets two crossed polarizers (axes at 90°). A third filter is inserted between them with its axis at 45° to each. What intensity now emerges?
0 W/m²
50.0 W/m²
25.0 W/m²
12.5 W/m²
12.
A star approaches Earth at 3.0 × 10⁶ m/s. A line emitted at 600 nm will be observed at which wavelength?
606 nm
600 nm
594 nm
540 nm
13.
Different observations support different models of light. Which observation is linked to the model that explains it?
Interference fringes — wave model
Sharp shadows — transverse wave model only
Polarization — longitudinal wave model
Redshift — ray model
14.
An analyzer is set 30° away from the vibration direction of an 80 W/m² polarized beam. Calculate the transmitted intensity.
60.0 W/m²
69.3 W/m²
20.0 W/m²
30.0 W/m²
15.
A spectral line with laboratory wavelength 656 nm is observed at 669.1 nm in light from a galaxy. What is the galaxy's speed of recession?
1.50 × 10¹⁰ m/s
0.0200 m/s
5991 m/s
5.99 × 10⁶ m/s
16.
Polarized light passes through an analyzer and only one quarter of its intensity is transmitted. What is the angle between the polarization direction and the analyzer axis?
75.5 °
30.0 °
60.0 °
45.0 °
17.
Sunlight of 90 W/m² is viewed through two stacked polarizing sheets whose axes differ by 60°. What intensity is seen through both?
22.5 W/m²
11.3 W/m²
30.8 W/m²
45.0 W/m²
18.
A lamp gives unpolarized light of 160 W/m². It goes through one filter and then a second filter rotated 30° relative to the first. Calculate the emerging intensity.
60.0 W/m²
120 W/m²
69.3 W/m²
80.0 W/m²
19.
In a lab, 200 W/m² of vertically polarized light meets a filter whose axis is 70° from vertical. Find the intensity after the filter.
68.4 W/m²
177 W/m²
11.7 W/m²
23.4 W/m²
20.
Polarization has many everyday applications. Which device is correctly linked to how it uses polarization?
3-D cinema glasses — each eye receives differently polarized images
Magnifying glass — blocks glare
Optical fibre — polarizes sunlight
Prism — makes light longitudinal
21.
A glossary gives meanings for key terms about light. Which glossary entry is right?
Coherent — many random phases
Polarized — vibrating in all planes
Monochromatic — a single wavelength
Diffraction — bouncing off a mirror
22.
A laser emits polarized light of 120 W/m². A filter in its path has its axis turned 45° from the laser's polarization direction. What intensity is transmitted?
84.9 W/m²
60.0 W/m²
30.0 W/m²
41.1 W/m²
23.
A student rotates an analyzer and records the light-meter reading. Which statement is supported by the table?
The readings fall linearly with angle
The readings follow I = I₀cos²θ with I₀ ≈ 400 lx
The readings follow I = I₀cosθ
The readings are independent of angle
24.
The diagram shows a light wave in a vacuum. What is its frequency?
Dr Dabour Hub Academy - figure 5
3.33 × 10¹⁴ Hz
1.33 × 10¹⁵ Hz
6.67 × 10¹⁴ Hz
135 Hz
25.
The graph shows intensity against analyzer angle. At which angle does the intensity fall to half its maximum?
Dr Dabour Hub Academy - figure 6
45°
30°
60°
90°
26.
The analyzer in the diagram is set at 60°. What reading, in W/m², should the meter give for the labelled incoming light?
Dr Dabour Hub Academy - figure 7
45.0 W/m²
61.7 W/m²
22.5 W/m²
90.0 W/m²
27.
What is the frequency of light of vacuum wavelength 420 nm?
7.14 × 10¹⁴ Hz
7.14 × 10⁵ Hz
126 Hz
1.40 × 10⁻¹⁵ Hz
28.
Using the table, what is the recession speed of galaxy P?
2.99 × 10⁸ m/s
0.0101 m/s
3.02 × 10⁶ m/s
4.57 × 10⁵ m/s
29.
The blue-green hydrogen line at 486 nm appears at 488.43 nm in the spectrum of a nearby galaxy. Calculate how fast that galaxy is moving away.
1.50 × 10⁶ m/s
6.00 × 10¹⁰ m/s
5.00 × 10⁻³ m/s
1500 m/s
30.
In the table, the model that best explains sharp shadows is the _____.
longitudinal wave model
Doppler model
sound model
ray model (straight-line travel)
31.
Light of frequency 6.0 × 10¹⁴ Hz has a wavelength in a vacuum of _____.
5.00 × 10⁵ nm
2000 nm
500 nm
50.0 nm
32.
In the table, galaxy Q shows a blueshift and is approaching. True or false?
False, Q is receding
True
False, Q is not moving relative to us
True only if Q is hotter than P
33.
The fact that light can be polarized is evidence that light is a transverse wave. True or false?
True
False, it shows light is longitudinal
False, it shows light is a particle only
True only for laser light
34.
Polarization shows that light is a transverse wave. True or false?
False, it shows light is longitudinal
False, it shows light is a particle
True
True only for laser light
35.
In the arrangement shown in the diagram, almost no light reaches the meter. True or false?
Dr Dabour Hub Academy - figure 8
False, half the light reaches it
False, all the light reaches it
True only for sound
True
36.
An ideal polarizer transmits half the intensity of unpolarized light. True or false?
False, it transmits all of it
True
False, it transmits one quarter
True only when the filter is vertical
37.
Red light has a higher frequency than violet light. True or false?
True
False, violet has the higher frequency
True only in glass
False, they have the same frequency
38.
Light diffracts noticeably through a doorway because its wavelength is similar to the doorway width. True or false?
True
False, light wavelengths are far smaller than a doorway, so diffraction is tiny
True only for red light
False, light never diffracts
39.
In an electromagnetic wave the electric and magnetic fields oscillate at right angles to each other and to the direction of travel. True or false?
True
False, they oscillate parallel to the travel direction
False, only the electric field oscillates
True only in glass
40.
Two polarizers with parallel axes block almost all light. True or false?
True
True only for red light
False, crossed (90°) axes block it; parallel axes transmit it
False, they double the intensity
41.
The diagram shows that this star is moving towards the observer. True or false?
Dr Dabour Hub Academy - figure 9
False, it is moving away
True
False, it is stationary
True only if the star is red
42.
Polarized sunglasses have horizontal transmission axes to block glare reflected from water. True or false?
True
True only on cloudy days
False, sunglasses do not use polarization
False, their axes are vertical because glare is mainly horizontally polarized
43.
Dark fringes in an interference pattern are produced by destructive superposition of light waves. True or false?
False, they are shadows of the slits
False, they are caused by polarization
True only if the light is unpolarized
True
44.
A redshift in a galaxy spectrum means the galaxy is moving towards us. True or false?
False, redshift means it is moving away
True
True only for nearby galaxies
False, redshift means the galaxy is getting hotter
45.
Coherent sources have the same frequency and a constant phase difference. True or false?
False, they must have different frequencies
False, their phase difference must change randomly
True
True only for sound
46.
For the repeat readings in the table, the mean is about 300 lx with an uncertainty of about ±5 lx (half the range). True or false?
False, the uncertainty is ±305 lx
True
False, the mean is 305 lx
True only if trial 2 is removed
47.
Using the table, violet light has a frequency of 7.5 × 10¹⁴ Hz. True or false?
True
False, it is 4.3 × 10¹⁴ Hz
False, it is 1.2 × 10⁻¹⁵ Hz
True only in glass
48.
Sound waves can be polarized in the same way as light. True or false?
True
True only in air
False, because sound travels faster than light
False, because sound is longitudinal
49.
Young's double-slit fringes supported the wave model of light over Newton's particle model. True or false?
False, they supported the particle model
False, they showed light is longitudinal
True
True only for sound waves
50.
Light needs a medium to travel through, like sound. True or false?
True
True only for infrared
False, but it needs air to be polarized
False, light is an EM wave and can travel through a vacuum
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Part of Fundamentals of Light — see every lesson and quiz in this unit.
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