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University Entrance (NZ) Oscillations and Pendulums — practice questions

Explore 30 free Oscillations and Pendulums questions in University Entrance (NZ) Physics. Open each question or exercise to read its content, reference answers and available explanation.

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Oscillations and Pendulums questions and exercises with answers

Showing questions 1–30 of 30.

A plucked guitar string repeats the same vibration over and over. Such motion is called:Read the answer and worked solution →The SI unit for frequency, meaning one cycle per second, is the:Read the answer and worked solution →The time taken for one complete oscillation is called the:Read the answer and worked solution →A wave whose oscillation follows Hooke's law is described as simple:Read the answer and worked solution →A guitar string plucked hard and plucked gently sounds the same note because the period is:Read the answer and worked solution →Only two things set the period of a mass on a spring: the force constant and the:Read the answer and worked solution →A stiff spring has a large force constant, which makes the period:Read the answer and worked solution →The period of a simple pendulum depends on gravity and on its:Read the answer and worked solution →Two pendulums differ only in the mass of the bob. On the period, that mass has an effect that is:Read the answer and worked solution →Knowing a pendulum's length precisely lets a physicist measure the local acceleration due to:Read the answer and worked solution →In a lightly damped oscillator, the period stays about the same but the amplitude gradually:Read the answer and worked solution →A damped oscillator loses energy because the work done by the damping force is:Read the answer and worked solution →A system returning to equilibrium in the shortest time without overshooting is:Read the answer and worked solution →A system that creeps slowly back to equilibrium has damping described as:Read the answer and worked solution →A system that reaches equilibrium quickly but oscillates about it is described as:Read the answer and worked solution →Driving a system at its natural frequency, so the amplitude grows large, produces:Read the answer and worked solution →The distance between adjacent identical parts of a wave is its:Read the answer and worked solution →A wave whose disturbance is perpendicular to its direction of travel is:Read the answer and worked solution →A wave whose disturbance is parallel to its direction of travel is:Read the answer and worked solution →Two identical waves arrive crest on crest, so the amplitude of the result is:Read the answer and worked solution →Two identical waves arrive crest on trough, so the amplitude of the result is:Read the answer and worked solution →Two waves of slightly different frequencies but equal amplitude combine to produce:Read the answer and worked solution →Catch the wave wordsRead the answer and worked solution →Pop the damping wordsRead the answer and worked solution →Run the wave gatesRead the answer and worked solution →Slice the physics wordsRead the answer and worked solution →Constructive or destructiveRead the answer and worked solution →Sort the physics wordsRead the answer and worked solution →Type the numberRead the answer and worked solution →Waves bingoRead the answer and worked solution →

Worked practice questions

A plucked guitar string repeats the same vibration over and over. Such motion is called:

  1. Periodic
  2. Parabolic
  3. Panoramic
  4. Piecemeal
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Correct answer: A. Periodic

1. Each vibration takes the same time as the one before. 2. The motion repeats itself at regular intervals. 3. That motion is periodic. _Source: OpenStax College Physics 2e, Chapter 16, Oscillatory Motion and Waves._

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The SI unit for frequency, meaning one cycle per second, is the:

  1. Hexad
  2. Hertz
  3. Henry
  4. Hydra
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Correct answer: B. Hertz

1. Frequency counts cycles completed in a second. 2. One cycle per second defines the unit. 3. That unit is the hertz. _Source: OpenStax College Physics 2e, Chapter 16, Oscillatory Motion and Waves._

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The time taken for one complete oscillation is called the:

  1. Period
  2. Piston
  3. Plunge
  4. Pulley
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Correct answer: A. Period

1. Frequency counts cycles per second. 2. The reciprocal measures seconds per cycle. 3. That time is the period. _Source: OpenStax College Physics 2e, Chapter 16, Oscillatory Motion and Waves._

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More Physics topics

Defence EntranceOscillationsOscillations and WavesPhysicsWaves