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Lesson 2: Sound as Energy — Practice Questions

  1. 1. Which of the following is absolutely necessary for sound to travel from a source to a listener?

    • A. A source of light
    • B. A medium made of matter
    • C. An empty space or vacuum
    • D. A very low temperature
  2. 2. What is a key difference between how sound energy and light energy travel?

    • A. Sound can travel through liquids, but light cannot.
    • B. Light requires a medium to travel, while sound can travel in a vacuum.
    • C. Sound requires a medium to travel, while light can travel through a vacuum.
    • D. Sound can only travel for short distances, while light can travel infinitely.
  3. 3. A student claims they heard a noise in a 'perfect vacuum chamber' in a science fiction movie. Why is this scientifically incorrect?

    • A. Sound cannot exist without a medium.
    • B. Sound waves are too large to fit in a chamber.
    • C. Vacuum chambers amplify all sounds, making them dangerous.
    • D. Only light, not sound, can be created inside a vacuum.
  4. 4. An astronaut on a spacewalk sees a nearby satellite explode. Why would the astronaut not hear the explosion?

    • A. The sound is too quiet to be heard from that distance.
    • B. The astronaut's helmet blocks all sounds from the outside.
    • C. Space is a vacuum, and there is no medium to carry the sound waves.
    • D. The light from the explosion travels much faster than the sound.
  5. 5. Imagine a scientist places a ringing alarm clock inside a sealed glass jar and uses a pump to remove all the air. What would a person standing next to the jar observe?

    • A. The sound of the alarm would become much louder.
    • B. The sound of the alarm would fade until it could no longer be heard.
    • C. The sound would change pitch but stay at the same volume.
    • D. The glass jar would crack due to the sound pressure.
  6. 6. Which of the following best describes a sound wave?

    • A. A stream of air particles moving from the source to the ear
    • B. An expanding pattern of energy that carries a vibration
    • C. An instantaneous transfer of noise through space
    • D. A visible ripple that can only travel through water
  7. 7. If a firecracker explodes in the air, in what shape does the sound energy primarily travel away from the explosion?

    • A. In a flat, two-dimensional circle along the ground
    • B. In a single, straight line towards the nearest object
    • C. As an invisible, expanding sphere in all directions
    • D. In random, unpredictable paths that bounce around
  8. 8. The text states that sound does not move 'instantaneously'. What does this imply about sound travel?

    • A. Sound requires a medium and cannot travel in a vacuum.
    • B. Sound travels as a wave with a finite speed.
    • C. Sound is a form of light energy.
    • D. Sound is always silent at its source.
  9. 9. When a sound wave travels from a speaker to your ear, what is being transported across the room?

    • A. Air particles
    • B. Light
    • C. Energy
    • D. The speaker itself
  10. 10. What is the primary role of the 'source' in the context of sound?

    • A. It is the material that the sound wave travels through.
    • B. It is the object or event that creates the initial vibration.
    • C. It is the destination where the sound energy is absorbed.
    • D. It is a barrier that reflects sound waves back.