5.2.1 Wavefronts, coherence and phase difference Quiz: Pearson Edexcel Physics, Unit 5

The 20 questions

1. What is defined as a line or surface joining adjacent points that oscillate in phase?

   • Antinode
   • Node
   • Wavefront
   • Ray

2. What condition must two wave sources meet in order to be described as coherent?

   • Constant amplitude
   • Equal wave speed
   • Constant phase difference
   • Variable frequency

3. What path difference causes constructive interference between two in-phase coherent wave sources?

   • Zero wavelength
   • Whole number wavelengths
   • Odd half-wavelengths
   • Quarter wavelengths

4. What path difference causes complete destructive interference between two in-phase coherent waves?

   • Zero path difference
   • Quarter wavelengths
   • Whole number wavelengths
   • Odd half-wavelengths

5. Which principle states that the resultant wave displacement equals the sum of individual displacements?

   • Fermat's principle
   • Superposition principle
   • Conservation of momentum
   • Huygens' principle

6. What phenomenon occurs when two coherent waves overlap to form regions of reinforcement and cancellation?

   • Polarisation
   • Diffraction
   • Interference
   • Refraction

7. A path difference of half a wavelength corresponds to what phase difference?

   • 180 degrees
   • 360 degrees
   • 0 degrees
   • 90 degrees

8. Two coherent sources emit 0.30 m waves. What interference occurs at a path difference of 0.90 m?

   • Constructive interference
   • Total cancellation
   • No superposition
   • Destructive interference

9. Two coherent waves have path difference 0.15 m and wavelength 0.60 m. What is their phase difference?

   • 90 degrees
   • 45 degrees
   • 270 degrees
   • 180 degrees

10. Two coherent waves of wavelength 0.60 m have path difference 0.45 m. What is their phase difference?

    • 180 degrees
    • 90 degrees
    • 135 degrees
    • 270 degrees

11. Two 500 Hz sound sources emit in air at 340 m/s. What interference occurs at path difference 0.34 m?

    • Complete resonance
    • Constructive interference
    • Refraction
    • Destructive interference

12. Two coherent waves each have amplitude 3.0 mm and arrive in phase at a point. What is the resultant amplitude?

    • 0 mm
    • 6.0 mm
    • 9.0 mm
    • 3.0 mm

13. Two coherent waves of amplitudes 4.0 and 1.0 arrive in antiphase at a point. What is the resultant amplitude?

    • 2.5
    • 0
    • 5.0
    • 3.0

14. Coherent light of wavelength 600 nm has a path difference of 1.5 micrometres. What interference occurs?

    • Constructive interference
    • Partial polarisation
    • Destructive interference
    • Total reflection

15. The distance between adjacent plane wavefronts of a wave is 0.050 m. What is the wavelength?

    • 0.050 m
    • 340 m
    • 0.10 m
    • 0.025 m

16. Why are two independent filament lamps placed side by side not coherent sources?

    • Random phase changes
    • Different light intensity
    • Different wave speeds
    • Constant phase difference

17. Two coherent sources emit 0.20 m waves. At distances 2.30 m and 2.00 m, what interference occurs?

    • Destructive interference
    • Total reflection
    • Polarisation
    • Constructive interference

18. Two 680 Hz sound sources emit in air at 340 m/s. What interference occurs at path difference 1.0 m?

    • Phase cancellation
    • Refraction
    • Destructive interference
    • Constructive interference

19. Two coherent waves have a phase difference of 2.0 radians. What is their path difference in wavelengths?

    • 0.13 wavelength
    • 0.32 wavelength
    • 2.0 wavelengths
    • 0.50 wavelength

20. What happens to total energy during the destructive interference of two waves?

    • It is amplified
    • It is destroyed
    • It is absorbed
    • It is redistributed

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