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Light I: Particle or Wave Quiz **NEW**

"Light I" Module

Visionlearning - an interactive practice exercise.

(1) "Refraction" of light occurs when

(a) light bounces off a surface

(b) light bends around corners or obstacles.

(c) light changes direction due to a change in speed.

(d) light waves add together to make a new wave with larger amplitude.

(2) "Diffraction" of light occurs when

(a) light bounces off a surface

(b) light bends around corners or obstacles.

(c) light changes intensity when passing from one material into another.

(d) light waves add together to make a wave with larger amplitude.

(3) For diffraction of a wave to occur,

(a) the wave must be a sound wave

(b) the wave must be traveling from a less dense to a denser material.

(c) the wave must be traveling slower than the speed of light in a vacuum.

(d) the wave must encounter an obstacle that is comparable in size to the wavelength of the wave.

(4) “Constructive” and “destructive” interference refer to the phenomenon of

(a) waves adding together or canceling each other out when they are superimposed.

(b) waves traveling different distances.

(c) waves bending around obstacles.

(d) waves changing direction when moving from one material to another.

(5) In Young’s experiment, bright and dark spots appeared on the screen because of

(a) holes in a piece of paper

(b) bright and dark lights shining on the screen.

(c) constructive and destructive interference.

(d) spectral lines.

(6) Constructive interference occurs when the difference in path lengths traveled by two light rays is

(a) an integer multiple of the half-wavelength of the light

(b) zero or an integer multiple of the wavelength of the light.

(c) anything other than zero.

(d) exactly zero.

(7) Destructive interference occurs when the difference in path lengths traveled by two light rays is

(a) integer multiple of the half-wavelength of the light.

(b) zero or an integer multiple of the wavelength of the light.

(c) anything other than zero.

(d) exactly zero.

(8) Choose the statement below that best explains why many 17th century scientists refused to agree that light could travel as a wave.

(a) Prominent scientists, such as Sir Isaac Newton, believed that light could only travel as a particle.

(b) Scientists were convinced that light waves do not behave the same way as other waves.

(c) Scientists were unable to physcially see the wave, but they could see particles.

(d) There wasn't an effective way to share research at the time, so scientists were not aware of the data.


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-Dylan Thomas,
1914 - 1953



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