Question 1

A property of electromagnetic waves that makes them different than other kinds of waves such as sound or water waves is that

Accepted Answer

A)  they are transverse waves. 
B)  they do not require a medium. 
C)  their speed can change when moving in different media. 
D)  they have many possible wavelengths. 
A)  they are transverse waves. 
B)  they do not require a medium. 
C)  their speed can change when moving in different media. 
D)  they have many possible wavelengths.

Question 2

A beam of "unpolarized" light

Accepted Answer

A)  does not have any polarized waves. 
B)  contains a single light wave with a fixed polarization direction. 
C)  can be polarized by reflecting it from a flat surface. 
D)  has a polarization direction that is constantly rotating. 
A)  does not have any polarized waves. 
B)  contains a single light wave with a fixed polarization direction. 
C)  can be polarized by reflecting it from a flat surface. 
D)  has a polarization direction that is constantly rotating.

Question 3

The frequency of blue light is ______ that of green light.

Accepted Answer

A)  greater than 
B)  less than 
C)  the same as 
D)  greater than, the same as, or less than, depending on a source of light 
A)  greater than 
B)  less than 
C)  the same as 
D)  greater than, the same as, or less than, depending on a source of light

Question 4

The evening sunsets are reddish orange because the atmosphere

Accepted Answer

A)  absorbs blue light. 
B)  is more efficient at scattering blue light. 
C)  absorbs the red light. 
D)  contains small amounts of red dust that give the air its red color. 
E)  is most efficient at scattering red light. 
A)  absorbs blue light. 
B)  is more efficient at scattering blue light. 
C)  absorbs the red light. 
D)  contains small amounts of red dust that give the air its red color. 
E)  is most efficient at scattering red light.

Question 5

When light reflects from mirrors we see a ____________ reflection.

Accepted Answer

The answer of When light reflects from mirrors we see...

Question 6

The diffraction of light by the iris of the eye limits

Accepted Answer

A)  the color response of our eyes. 
B)  the ability of our eyes to resolve very fine details. 
C)  our peripheral vision. 
D)  our ability to see in the dark. 
A)  the color response of our eyes. 
B)  the ability of our eyes to resolve very fine details. 
C)  our peripheral vision. 
D)  our ability to see in the dark.

Question 7

Electromagnetic waves that travel through a vacuum are not

Accepted Answer

A)  longitudinal waves. 
B)  transverse waves. 
C)  able to propagate, since there is no atmosphere. 
D)  oscillating. 
A)  longitudinal waves. 
B)  transverse waves. 
C)  able to propagate, since there is no atmosphere. 
D)  oscillating.

Question 8

Infrared waves have a ___________ wavelength than microwaves.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Infrared waves have a ___________ wavelength than...

Question 9

When unpolarized light passes through a polarizing filter,

Accepted Answer

A)  all the light passes through and remains unpolarized. 
B)  all the light passes though and is now polarized. 
C)  it is completely absorbed by the filter. 
D)  about half the light passes through and remains unpolarized. 
E)  about half the light passes through and is now polarized. 
A)  all the light passes through and remains unpolarized. 
B)  all the light passes though and is now polarized. 
C)  it is completely absorbed by the filter. 
D)  about half the light passes through and remains unpolarized. 
E)  about half the light passes through and is now polarized.

Question 10

For visible light, which property of visible electromagnetic waves changes with color?

Accepted Answer

A)  Wavelength 
B)  Amplitude 
C)  Frequency 
D)  Amplitude and frequency 
E)  Frequency and wavelength 
A)  Wavelength 
B)  Amplitude 
C)  Frequency 
D)  Amplitude and frequency 
E)  Frequency and wavelength

Question 11

Which of the following colors has the shortest wavelength?

Accepted Answer

A)  Orange 
B)  Yellow 
C)  Green 
D)  Red 
A)  Orange 
B)  Yellow 
C)  Green 
D)  Red

Question 12

A thin layer of oil floats on a water puddle. An observer sees a colored pattern. This happens because

Accepted Answer

A)  two surfaces each transmit some light and reflect some light. 
B)  oil always does this, even if it is not on water. 
C)  water transmits light and never reflects light. 
D)  sunlight's frequency range shifts to infrared at the boundary of water and oil. 
A)  two surfaces each transmit some light and reflect some light. 
B)  oil always does this, even if it is not on water. 
C)  water transmits light and never reflects light. 
D)  sunlight's frequency range shifts to infrared at the boundary of water and oil.

Question 13

When a beam of light passes through a narrow slit we can observe some light in the "geometrical" shadow of the slit. This light arrived by the process of

Accepted Answer

A)  interference. 
B)  reflection. 
C)  refraction. 
D)  diffraction. 
A)  interference. 
B)  reflection. 
C)  refraction. 
D)  diffraction.

Question 14

What primary color must be added to magenta light to produce white light?

Accepted Answer

A)  Red 
B)  Yellow 
C)  Blue 
D)  Magenta 
E)  Green 
A)  Red 
B)  Yellow 
C)  Blue 
D)  Magenta 
E)  Green

Question 15

When you see your shadow on a sunny day, it has a fuzzy edge. This is

Accepted Answer

A)  not caused by diffraction because the wavelength of visible light is too small to produce visible diffraction around a person. 
B)  not caused by diffraction because diffraction only occurs for openings, not objects blocking light. 
C)  an example of diffraction. 
D)  not caused by diffraction because there are too many wavelengths in sunlight to see the effect. 
A)  not caused by diffraction because the wavelength of visible light is too small to produce visible diffraction around a person. 
B)  not caused by diffraction because diffraction only occurs for openings, not objects blocking light. 
C)  an example of diffraction. 
D)  not caused by diffraction because there are too many wavelengths in sunlight to see the effect.

Question 16

In Young's double-slit experiment, light was first passed through a narrow single slit before going on to the double-slits. The reason for the first slit was

Accepted Answer

A)  to screen out all wavelengths except those in the visible light spectrum. 
B)  to reduce the brightness of the light so the interference pattern could be seen. 
C)  to polarize the light. 
D)  to ensure a constant phase relationship between the interfering light waves. 
A)  to screen out all wavelengths except those in the visible light spectrum. 
B)  to reduce the brightness of the light so the interference pattern could be seen. 
C)  to polarize the light. 
D)  to ensure a constant phase relationship between the interfering light waves.

Question 17

The daytime sky is blue, on sunny days, because the atmosphere

Accepted Answer

A)  is most efficient at scattering red light. 
B)  absorbs blue light. 
C)  contains small amounts of water vapor that give the air its blue color. 
D)  is more efficient at scattering blue light. 
E)  absorbs the red light. 
A)  is most efficient at scattering red light. 
B)  absorbs blue light. 
C)  contains small amounts of water vapor that give the air its blue color. 
D)  is more efficient at scattering blue light. 
E)  absorbs the red light.

Question 18

EM waves tend to be scattered the most by an object that is

Accepted Answer

A)  magnetic. 
B)  a liquid. 
C)  reflective. 
D)  conducting. 
E)  about the same size as the wave. 
A)  magnetic. 
B)  a liquid. 
C)  reflective. 
D)  conducting. 
E)  about the same size as the wave.

Question 19

A beam of orange light illuminates two slits that are closely spaced. The resulting intensity pattern is a series of bright and dark fringes. What happens to the intensity pattern if we now change to blue light?

Accepted Answer

A)  The series of bright and dark fringes changes to circular fringes. 
B)  The series of bright and dark fringes spreads out. 
C)  The series of bright and dark fringes gets closer together. 
D)  The series of bright and dark fringes disappears. 
E)  Nothing changes. 
A)  The series of bright and dark fringes changes to circular fringes. 
B)  The series of bright and dark fringes spreads out. 
C)  The series of bright and dark fringes gets closer together. 
D)  The series of bright and dark fringes disappears. 
E)  Nothing changes.

Question 20

An unpolarized beam of light of a single pure color can be split apart into two separate beams by using

Accepted Answer

A)  a birefringent material like calcite. 
B)  the human retina. 
C)  metal-ceramic inversion. 
D)  a thin layer of oil.
Fill in the Blank Questions 
A)  a birefringent material like calcite. 
B)  the human retina. 
C)  metal-ceramic inversion. 
D)  a thin layer of oil.
Fill in the Blank Questions

Exam 16: Light Waves and Color

A property of electromagnetic waves that makes them different than other kinds of waves such as sound or water waves is that

A beam of "unpolarized" light

The frequency of blue light is ______ that of green light.

The evening sunsets are reddish orange because the atmosphere

When light reflects from mirrors we see a ____________ reflection.

The diffraction of light by the iris of the eye limits

Electromagnetic waves that travel through a vacuum are not

Infrared waves have a ___________ wavelength than microwaves.

When unpolarized light passes through a polarizing filter,

For visible light, which property of visible electromagnetic waves changes with color?

Which of the following colors has the shortest wavelength?

A thin layer of oil floats on a water puddle. An observer sees a colored pattern. This happens because

When a beam of light passes through a narrow slit we can observe some light in the "geometrical" shadow of the slit. This light arrived by the process of

What primary color must be added to magenta light to produce white light?

When you see your shadow on a sunny day, it has a fuzzy edge. This is

In Young's double-slit experiment, light was first passed through a narrow single slit before going on to the double-slits. The reason for the first slit was

The daytime sky is blue, on sunny days, because the atmosphere

EM waves tend to be scattered the most by an object that is

A beam of orange light illuminates two slits that are closely spaced. The resulting intensity pattern is a series of bright and dark fringes. What happens to the intensity pattern if we now change to blue light?

An unpolarized beam of light of a single pure color can be split apart into two separate beams by using

Physics, the Fundamental Science

Describing Motion

Falling Objects and Projectile Motion

Newtons Laws: Explaining Motion

Circular Motion, the Planets, and Gravity

Energy and Oscillations

Momentum and Impulse

Rotational Motion of Solid Objects

The Behavior of Fluids

Temperature and Heat

Heat Engines and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

Electrostatic Phenomena

Electric Circuits

Magnets and Electromagnetism

Making Waves

Light and Image Formation

The Structure of the Atom

The Nucleus and Nuclear Energy

Relativity

Beyond Everyday Phenomena

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