Sound Practice Questions
WAEC (West Africa) · WAEC Physics · 136 free MCQs with instant results and detailed explanations.
136
Total
38
Easy
75
Medium
23
Hard
Start Practicing Sound
Take a timed quiz or customize your practice session
Sample Questions from Sound
Here are 10 sample questions. Start a quiz to get randomized questions with scoring.
Q1
Easy
What is the speed of sound in air at 20°C under normal conditions?
A.
343 m/s
B.
300 m/s
C.
400 m/s
D.
500 m/s
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: A
The speed of sound in air at 20°C is approximately 343 m/s, which is a standard value used in physics for calculations involving sound in air.
Q2
Easy
When a tuning fork is struck, it produces a sound wave. Which of the following properties of the wave does NOT change when it travels through different media?
A.
Frequency
B.
Speed
C.
Wavelength
D.
Amplitude
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: A
The frequency of a sound wave remains constant when it travels through different media, though its speed and wavelength may change depending on the medium.
Q3
Easy
If a sound wave has a frequency of 440 Hz, what is its period?
A.
0.00227 s
B.
2.27 s
C.
0.440 s
D.
440 s
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: A
The period (T) of a wave is the reciprocal of the frequency (f). Therefore, T = 1/f = 1/440 Hz = 0.00227 seconds.
Q4
Medium
A sound wave travels at a speed of 340 m/s in air. If the frequency of the sound wave is 170 Hz, what is the wavelength of the sound wave?
A.
2 m
B.
1.5 m
C.
3 m
D.
2.5 m
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: A
Wavelength is calculated using the formula: wavelength = speed / frequency. Here, wavelength = 340 m/s / 170 Hz = 2 m.
Q5
Medium
Which of the following statements about sound in solids is true?
A.
Sound travels slower in solids than in liquids.
B.
Sound cannot travel through solids.
C.
Sound travels faster in solids than in air.
D.
Sound travels equally in all states of matter.
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: C
Sound travels faster in solids due to closely packed particles, which facilitate quicker vibrations compared to air.
Q6
Medium
If a sound source moves towards a stationary observer, how does the observer perceive the frequency of the sound?
A.
Frequency decreases.
B.
Frequency remains the same.
C.
Frequency increases.
D.
Frequency is halved.
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: C
As the sound source approaches, the waves get compressed, leading to a higher frequency perceived by the observer due to the Doppler effect.
Q7
Medium
What happens to the speed of sound when it travels from air into water?
A.
It decreases significantly.
B.
It remains the same.
C.
It increases significantly.
D.
It becomes zero.
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: C
The speed of sound increases significantly when it travels from air (about 343 m/s) to water (about 1482 m/s) due to the higher density and elasticity of water.
Q8
Hard
A sound wave travels through air at a speed of 340 m/s. If a bat emits a sound pulse that lasts for 0.1 seconds, how far can the sound travel before it is reflected back to the bat?
A.
34 m
B.
68 m
C.
170 m
D.
340 m
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: B
The sound travels to the object and back, so the total distance is twice the distance traveled in 0.1 seconds. Distance = Speed × Time, thus 340 m/s × 0.1 s = 34 m (one way), hence round trip = 2 × 34 m = 68 m.
Q9
Hard
A sound wave travels through air at a speed of 340 m/s. If the frequency of the sound wave is 170 Hz, what is the wavelength of the sound wave?
A.
2.0 m
B.
1.0 m
C.
0.5 m
D.
3.4 m
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: A
The wavelength can be calculated using the formula: wavelength = speed/frequency. Here, wavelength = 340 m/s / 170 Hz = 2.0 m.
Q10
Hard
A tuning fork produces a sound of frequency 440 Hz in air. If the temperature of the air is increased, causing the speed of sound to increase to 350 m/s, what will be the new wavelength of the sound produced by the tuning fork?
A.
0.795 m
B.
1.125 m
C.
0.636 m
D.
0.500 m
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: A
Using the formula for wavelength, we have: wavelength = speed / frequency. The new wavelength = 350 m/s / 440 Hz = 0.795 m.
Showing 10 of 136 questions. Start a quiz to practice all questions with scoring and timer.
Practice All 136 Questions →Other WAEC (West Africa) Subjects
Sound — WAEC (West Africa) WAEC Physics Practice Questions Online
This page contains 136 practice MCQs for the chapter Sound in WAEC (West Africa) WAEC Physics. The questions are organized by difficulty — 38 easy, 75 medium, 23 hard — so you can choose the right level for your preparation.
Every question includes a detailed explanation to help you understand the concept, not just memorize answers. Take a timed quiz to simulate exam conditions, or practice at your own pace with no time limit.