Conceptual Physics

Section 4 - Amplitude

4.1 What is the amplitude of the wave that is
shown? Enter the answer using two significant
figures.
m

4.2 A water strider sits on a the surface of a still lake. A rock thrown into the lake creates a series of sinusoidal ripples that pass

through the location where the strider sits, so that it rises and falls. The distance between its highest and lowest locations is

0.008 m. What is the amplitude of the wave?

i. 0.002 m

ii. 0.004 m

iii. 0.008 m

Section 5 - Wavelength

5.1 What is the wavelength of the wave that is

shown? Enter the answer using two significant

figures.

m

5.2 In a foggy harbor, a tugboat sounds its foghorn. Bobbie stands on shore, 7.5×10^2 m away. The foghorn's sound wave

completes 1.1×10^3 cycles on its way to Bobbie. What is the wavelength of the sound wave?

m

Section 6 - Period and frequency

6.1 A wave has a frequency of 575 Hz. What is its period?

s

6.2 If 12 wave crests pass you in 26 seconds as you bob in the ocean, what is the frequency of the waves?

Hz

Section 7 - Wave speed

7.1 An important wavelength of radiation used in radio astronomy is 21.1 cm. (This wavelength of radiation is emitted by excited

neutral hydrogen atoms.) This radiation travels at the speed of light, 3.00×10^8 m/s. Compute the frequency of this radio wave.

Hz

7.2 A wave has a speed of 351 m/s and a wavelength of 2.4000023468268647 meters. What is its period?

s

7.3 Suppose you are standing on a boat in the ocean looking out at a person swimming in the water. The waves swell under your

boat at a frequency of 0.80 Hz, while traveling with a wave speed of 1.5 meters per second. At any given moment, you count

that there are exactly 6 complete waves between you and the swimmer. How far away is the swimmer?

meters

7.4 The radio wave from a station broadcasting at 1.3×10^6 Hz has a wavelength of 230 m. What is the wave's speed?

m/s

Copyright 2007 Kinetic Books Co. Chapter 15 Problems^305