Wave Motion and Progressive Waves

Wave Motion and Progressive Waves MDCAT MCQs with answers

11 past paper MCQs on Wave Motion and Progressive Waves, from the Waves unit of MDCAT Physics. The year each question appeared is shown where known; tap “Show answer” for the correct option and a short solution.

Read the notes first Practise the unit as a quiz

1.Mechanical waves are not produced in: (MDCAT 2022)

  1. electric and magnetic fields
  2. springs
  3. ropes
  4. water
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Correct answer: (a) electric and magnetic fields

A mechanical wave needs a material medium; a disturbance of the electric and magnetic fields travels without one.

2.Mechanical waves cannot travel through outer space because they: (UHS MDCAT 2025)

  1. have low speed in vacuum
  2. disperse in space due to long wavelength
  3. lose frequency in the absence of air
  4. lose transmission without interacting particles
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Correct answer: (d) lose transmission without interacting particles

A mechanical wave is carried by the particles of a medium, and space has none to pass it on.

3.What is the necessary condition of a wave motion? (KMU MDCAT 2025)

  1. The medium must be elastic
  2. The medium must be inelastic
  3. The particles of the medium must be independent of each other
  4. The particles of the medium must not be dependent on each other
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Correct answer: (a) The medium must be elastic

A wave passes on because each displaced particle is pulled back and pulls its neighbour, which needs an elastic medium.

4.A progressive wave is one which: (KMU MDCAT 2025)

  1. Does not vibrate the medium
  2. Carries energy across the medium
  3. Propagates only through air
  4. Requires a denser medium for propagation
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Correct answer: (b) Carries energy across the medium

A progressive wave carries energy forward through the medium without carrying the medium with it.

5.In progressive waves, energy is transferred from one point to another through: (SZABMU MDCAT 2025)

  1. Circular motion of particles
  2. Oscillatory motion of particles
  3. Rotation of particles
  4. Translation of particles
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Correct answer: (b) Oscillatory motion of particles

Each particle oscillates about its own place and hands the energy on to the next.

6.The waves among the following which require a material medium for their propagation are: (SZABMU MDCAT 2025)

  1. Gamma rays
  2. X-rays
  3. Infrared waves
  4. Infrasonic waves
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Correct answer: (d) Infrasonic waves

Infrasonic waves are sound, and sound needs a medium; the other three are electromagnetic.

7.The mechanical waves are not generated by: (UHS MDCAT 2023)

  1. Electric and magnetic fields
  2. Coil of springs
  3. Ropes
  4. Water
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Correct answer: (a) Electric and magnetic fields

Electric and magnetic fields make electromagnetic waves, which need no medium at all.

8.Continuous, regular and rhythmic disturbance in a medium resulting periodic vibration of a source causes________in the medium: (SZABMU MDCAT 2023)

  1. Complex waves
  2. Stationary waves
  3. Electromagnetic waves
  4. Periodic waves
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Correct answer: (d) Periodic waves

A regular repeated disturbance sets up periodic waves.

9.Water waves are examples of: (PMC MDCAT 2022)

  1. Transverse waves
  2. Progressive waves
  3. Longitudinal waves
  4. Compressional waves
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Correct answer: (b) Progressive waves

A progressive wave carries energy forward through the medium.

10.___ waves always need medium to travel? (PMC MDCAT 2022)

  1. Light
  2. Stationary
  3. Sound
  4. Both sound and stationary
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Correct answer: (d) Both sound and stationary

Sound is mechanical, and a stationary wave is made of two mechanical waves, so both need a medium.

11.The velocity of sound in vacuum at 0 C: (PMC MDCAT 2022)

  1. 332 m/s
  2. 344 m/s
  3. 330 m/s
  4. 0
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Correct answer: (d) 0

Sound needs a medium, so it does not travel through a vacuum at all.

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