Test: Types of Wave - UPSC MCQ

Mechanical waves require a medium (solid, liquid, or gas) to travel through. Examples include sound waves and seismic waves.

Electromagnetic waves, such as light and radio waves, can propagate in a vacuum without requiring a medium.

Sound waves are an example of mechanical waves as they require a medium (such as air, water, or solids) to propagate.

Mechanical waves, like sound waves and seismic waves, can travel through solids, liquids, and gases.

Electromagnetic waves consist of oscillating electric and magnetic fields and include various types of waves, such as radio waves, microwaves, and X-rays.

The speed of light in a vacuum is approximately 300,000 kilometers per second.

Radio waves have the longest wavelength among the given options.

Ultraviolet (UV) waves have shorter wavelengths compared to infrared (IR) waves.

Electromagnetic waves can undergo diffraction, which is the bending of waves around obstacles or through narrow openings.

The frequency of a wave is measured in Hertz (Hz).

Electromagnetic waves can be polarized by filtering out waves oscillating in certain directions.

Electromagnetic waves, such as light waves, can exhibit interference and diffraction phenomena.

The speed of sound waves is faster in solids compared to liquids and gases due to the closer arrangement of particles.

Reflection occurs when waves encounter a surface and bounce back, changing their direction.

The wavelength of a wave is the distance between two consecutive crests or troughs.

X-rays have higher energy compared to radio waves, visible light, and infrared waves.

Electromagnetic waves can undergo refraction when they pass through a medium of different optical density.

Gamma rays have the shortest wavelength among the given options.

The frequency and wavelength of a wave are inversely proportional. As the frequency increases, the wavelength decreases, and vice versa.

The wave-particle duality is a concept associated with matter waves, also known as de Broglie waves, which are associated with particles such as electrons and protons.